Playing it cool
by MemoriesLiveOn
Summary: Sequel to 'The Summer on Fire'. A year after a fiery summer between Peeta and Katniss, the Mellark's foster Prim and Katniss. To protect Prim, Peeta and Katniss hide their summer together but how long can they lie? How long will they pretend they have no feelings for each other?
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One: A New Beginning Or The Beginning Of The End?**_

**Over a year later**

"Why doesn't Peeta come round anymore?" Prim asks abruptly and I look up from my textbook at her. "Don't look at me like that! I'm just hoping you'll answer this time and not make up something stupid!" Prim says angrily and my eyesbrows raise. It upsets me that like me, she has built a huge guard around herself and rarely let's even me in.

"We just, drifted apart Prim." I say calmly and went back to my textbook. I heard her storm off into her room and I rolled my eyes. Peeta had driven down sometime, when either of us needed sex or company. After Gale's funeral he came round less and then about 8 months ago he just stopped coming round. And I stopped asking him to come round. He still sent money every month but his letters had turned to notes, then simply to a brief scrawl and now nothing comes with the money. It makes me feel like shit that I'm taking his money but I can't work for a while yet and I have to pay the bills and get food. What else can I do?

"If you didn't treat him like shit he wouldn't have left!" I heard Prim shout from her room and I sighed.

"Language, Primrose!" I shouted back and she slammed her door again. "Stop being a child!" I shout at her then sigh again. She is a child. I'm interrupted from being about to shout at her again by a knock at the door. I huff and get off the floor and open the door.

"Katniss Everdeen?" A short lady wearing a suit asks and I swallow heavily. I nod. "Can I come in?" She asks and I shake my head. "I'm afraid I need to come in, Katniss."

"Who is it?" Prim asks and I turn to her quickly, when I look back the woman is inside our flat.

"Primrose?" She asks and Prim nods slightly. "I'd like you to gather your things please. You too Katniss." I'm frozen to the spot.

"Who are you?" Prim asks rudely and I want to scold her but I can't speak.

"My name is Miss Matthews. You can call me Jenna though." Jenna starts to roam around our flat while Prim stares at her, confused. "I'm here on behalf of social services." That's when Prim runs for the door, I try to grab her but she has flung the door open and three large men have stepped into our flat. "You have to come with us now. It's time to stop playing house and meet the real world." Jenna hisses and I pull Prim with me as I go to our rooms.

The car is cramped and freezing. Prim is cuddling next to me, Jenna next to her, one of her henchmen is driving and our luggage all over the place.

"I can't feel my toes or fingers." Prim mumbles and I take her hand between mine and turn the page in my book.

"Stop complaining. You'rer damn lucky you have a placement already. Some kids go to foster homes their whole lives. You weren't even in there for a day." Jenna says sourly and I glare at her.

"We were there for a week during which time I nearly got raped." I hissed and she rolled her eyes.

"Exaggeration gets you nowhere, Katniss. Stupid name." She mutters and I clench my jaw. "Roy, you okay driving in this snow?" She calls sweetly to Roy and he hunches further forward to be able to see.

"Going up the drive now, Jen." He replies and I slowly put the marker in my book and close it. Prim sits up and gasps.

"Look at the size of the house, Kat!" She says excitedly and I nod and smile without even looking. The car stopps and Jenna reaches out and grips my wrist roughly.

"You better behave yourself. Do not even speak to them, okay. They are out of your league. Remember those papers you signed." Ugh, those papers, never ending papers. I can't remember half of what I promised to do and not to do! I pull my wrist away and am startled when my door opens.

"Out you get, we'll get your things." I can't see whoever is speaking because of the snow but his voice is low and he seems quite young so I grab Prim and pull her out of the car. "Up those steps there, Melissa will meet you." The voice says again and I hug Prim close to me and look at the floor as I climb the stairs, my feet sinking in nearly a foot of snow, three more sets of feet run down the stairs quickly and I keep my head down. At the top of the stairs a woman in jeans and a jumper smiles widely and pulls us in through the massive oak door.

"I'm Melissa!" She says, her voice is lovely. Its sweet and motherlike and I instantly like her. "I'm the maid." This shocks me. "Come on into the kitchen and we'll get you some hot chocolate and cookies!" She smiles at Prim then looks at me. "Come on, the boys will get your bags and then come and meet you, their father is talking to Miss Matthews!" Prim and I follow her into a kitchen that is ridiculously huge. The whole thing looks like it was made in a marble cave and I carefully put down my book on the counter as Melissa gestures for us to sit on the bar stools and passes us a mug of hot chocolate.

"This is delicious!" Prim cries and I smile and agree. I'm distracted by a dog in the corner and I hurry over to it. Its an old sheep dog and he has grey fur. I let him smell my hand then crouch down next to him. His tag says his name is 'Max' and I stroke Max's fur.

"Come and sit down, love. They'll be here in a moment." I sit back in my stool, Max follows me, sitting next to me and I pat Max's head and look down at his lovely big eyes.

"Well, hello you two!" I don't want to look at the man so I don't. I'm being rude but I don't want to see whoever is going to be in control of my life now. "Come on in boys and introduce yourselves." I zone out so I don't hear them talk, I focus on Max and ignore Prim stabbing me in the side with her elbow.

"I'm..." The voice makes me jump into the air and land back on the stool loudly.

"Woah! You alright there?" The man asks and I gulp and look between him and the three guys. "Carry on son."

"I'm Peeta Mellark." My heart stops.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter two: The Rules of Real Life.**_

"I'm Peeta Mellark." My heart stops. My eyes are fixed on Peeta. He's taller, broader, fitter. His hair is shorter than it used to be with a slight quiff in it. He puts his hand towards Prim. "Primrose, it is lovely to meet you." Peeta's eyes burn into Prim and she nods before releasing his hand. He moves his hand towards mine and it takes so much effort for me to shake it. "You too, Katniss." His voice is deeper and formal. The sleeves on his knitted dark blue jumper are pushed half way up his forearms and I quickly glance at his hands. They seem less, I'm not sure. Less chubby I guess. There are veins all over his hands that trail up his arm and I resist the urge to trace them with my finger. I release his hand and Peeta smiles slightly at Prim and I. "I'd love to stay and chat but I told Finnick I'd go bowling with him and the guys." Peeta tells his dad and Mr Mellark gives him a slightly disapproving look.

"Why don't you take Katniss." Mr Mellark beams at his idea and I breathe deeply. "It will be good for her to meet some of the people who will be at school with her." Mr Mellark says and I see Peeta bite his lower lip slightly. "Katniss?"

"Dad, I'm sure she's exhausted from the drive." Peeta mumbles and I try not to frown. Peeta doesn't want me to go with him.

"She slept most of the way!" Prim chimed and sighed.

"I wouldn't want to be a nuisance to Peeta or his friends." I say coldly and the muscles in Peeta's jaw tighten.

"Nonsense! Go on! Peeta can't bowl to save his life anyway! You could teach him something!" Mr Mellark's jolliness made me smile and he gently nudged me off the stool I was sat on. "I'll look after Prim, we could make a cake?" Prim claps her hands excitedly and I follow Peeta out the kitchen.

"I don't have to come, Peeta." I say quietly as he pulls a leather jacket from a closet by the front door.

"It's fine." He says without looking at me and pulls the jacket on. "Finnick will love to see you." I'm taken back by the venom in his voice. "Ready?" Peeta mutters and I nod, he unhooks a set of keys from a glass cabinet that contains rows of keys and opens the door.

The snow isn't as heavy as before but it is still pretty heavy. Peeta closes the door behind me and flip the hood of my jumper over my head and walk behind him. He walks down the side of the house and presses a button on his keys. A big metal door open and I see a light blue, old looking car. It has a material roof and Peeta starts to pull the material off.

"Can I help?" I ask as he lifts a hard top on the car, his biceps straining against the material of the leather jacket.

"No." He says bluntly and I chew on my lip. He glances up at me then back down to the hard top as he fasten it in. "No, thank you." Peeta says less harshly and I nod. "You can get in." Peeta mumbles and opens the passenger door for me.

I slip into the car and he closes the door firmly but gently. Peeta starts to fasten this side of the hardtop and when I look out my window his top his rised so I can see his stomach and a slither of the waistband of his boxers. I quickly look away.

The inside of the car is all dark and the seats are comfortable. There are three seats in the back but only two doors so the chairs must close down for people to climb through. This car suits Peeta. The drivers door open and Peeta climbs in easily and closes his door.

"You like it?" Peeta asks as we buckle in our seatbelts. "The car?" He elaborates and I run my hand over the dashboard.

"Yes, it's very you." I answer quietly and Peeta turns on the ignition.

"You aren't supposed to know me. If they know we know eachother we'll get in trouble, you'll get put in the fosterhome again. You don't want that do you?" Peeta asks as he pulls a pair of leather driving gloves on and then grasps the steering wheel. I consider how creepy this would seem to someone sat in the back.

"God, no." I reply quickly and Peeta looks at me, I automatically look at him and our eyes connect.

"Did something happen when you were there?" Peeta asks and I can feel the embarrassment creep up my neck and I swallow. "Katniss?" His voice is gentle and I consider telling him.

"I don't want to talk about it." I mutter and look away from his blue eyes. "How have you been?" I ask, changing the subject. Peeta pulls out of the garage and I hear the door close behind us.

"Good," Peeta indicates with a flick of his finger and we pull onto the main road. "Got a lot of schoolwork to do before this term finishes." Peeta says and we ignore the elephant in the car; I don't know how he's been because he stopped seeing me, answering my calls or texts and everything. "You?" Peeta asks as we go round a roundabout, the car infront whel spins and gets stuck in snow and Peeta brakes sharply. I whimper as the seatbelt cuts into the purple bruise on my collar bone. "Are you alright?" Peeta asks quickly and I nod, blinking back tears. "You don't look alright, where did I hurt you?" He asks as he reverses slightly and then drives around the car stuck in front before pulling over.

"I'm fine, Peeta." My voice cracks and I look away. He doesn't speak for a while and I know he can hear my jolting breaths.

"I'll be back in a bit." Peeta says quietly, then unbuckles his seat belt and steps out the car before closing the door.

I turn my head see Peeta leaning down to talk to the lady in the car behind. I tentatively push my jumper to the side and close my eyes at the purple bruise. The pain is starting to become more bearable so I climb out of the car to join Peeta.

"No honestly, it's fine. I'll take a look." I hear Peeta tell the lady before popping the hood of her car and leaning in. I let my eyes roam over Peeta then look away because the dark jeans he's wearing look too damn good on him. "Try it now!" Peeta calls to the lady and the car rumbles and starts. Peta closes the bonnet and gives the lady a thumbs up.

"Thank you so much!" She gushes and her and two children in the back wave at him as they drive off.

"Feeling better?" Peeta asks as we get back in his car. I frown at him and he starts the car again. "When I braked suddenly, you were in pain." Peeta explains and I nod.

"An old injury." I tell him and look at the snow fall on the window.

"What injury?" He asked and I know he knows I'm lying.

"I broke my collar bone in a football game." I say easily and Peeta stops at traffic lights and looks at me.

"It isn't recorded in your file." He mutter and I turn to him.

"You read my file!" I almost shout and he accelerate through the green light.

"We had to. My family legally had to read it to know about you." Peeta explains calmly and I stare at him as he drives.

"What does it say?" I ask loudly and he crosses his hands over each other to turn.

"Nothing about you personally really, petty theft, grades." Peeta says vaguely and I narrow my eyes.

"What else does it say?" I push and he sighs.

"Medical history, I think." He answers and let's a family cross the road.

"You think?" I ask sarcastically and he glances at me. "So what does it say?"

"Suspected depression, anger issues, emotionally unstable, broken foot when your were five, admitted to A and E after a dog bit your thigh - hence the scars on you thigh." I go quiet, he had never mentioned the scars I had before. Peeta pulls the car into a parking spot and turns off the ignition. "You're still on the pill aswell." He says quietly and I blush.

"He wasn't a serious guy." I mutter and Peeta looks at me.

"What?" He asks and I step out of the car, he copies and we close the door and he locks the car.

"His name was Darren, it was never serious." I say quietly and we start walking to the bowling alley building. "It was just for fun." I regretted saying it as soon as it left my lips. Peeta coughed and I swore in my mind. "Peeta, that's not what I..."

"It's none of my business." Peeta cuts me off and we walk into the bowling alley. "The guys are either going to hit on you or be really nice. I couldn't tell you which one so, yeah." We walk over to a group of guys and I spot Finnick's copper hair. "Hey guys, sorry we're late." Peeta calls and the guys turn one by one, obviously interested in who the 'we' is. "This is..."

"Katniss!" Finnick exclaims and Peeta glares at him. Finnick freezes, blantantly baffled.

"My dad fostered her and and her sister. We met today so play nice." Peeta directs the 'we met today' at Finnick who frowns and steps back.

"Well hey, I'm Gerard but everyone calls my Gerry." One guy steps forward and we shake hands. Gerry is attractive. That's my first thought. His hair is almost black, short and it looks like it has a natural flick in the front. His eyes were a shocking green and were pretty hypnotising. "This is Finnick." Finnick still looks utterly baffled but shakes my hand anyway. "This is Stephen." Stephen shook my hand then went back to texting. "That's Marcus." Marcus looked like he was in his twenties and I nearly burst out laughing when he took my hand kissed my knuckles. "Course you've met Peeta." Peeta smiled at someone then looked back at us and nodded slightly. "And Dan is sorting out the lane. Dan doesn't really talk but if you ever need something fixed, call him. Or text him because he doesn't speak if you call him." Gerry laughed and his eyes crinkled at the edges making me smile.

"Come on then." Peeta muttered and we all walked to the desk and changed into our shoes.

"You're supposed to hit the pins, Peeta!" Gerry shouted and I laughed, Peeta turned and gave us both the finger which made me laugh even more. "Be nice! Do you have the time, Katniss?" Gerry asked me and I pulled my jumper sleeve up to look at my watch.

"It's half pas..."

"What's that?" Gerry cut me off and I followed his gaze to the green bruise on my arm. I quickly pulled my sleeve down. "Katniss?" He pressured and I looked away.

"It's nothing, I bumped into a door." I brushed Gerry off and he continued to look at me intensely. "Just leave it, please." I say and then stand up to take my go.

Just before I bowl I glance back and see Gerry speaking to Peeta privately. Peeta looks over to me and I look away quickly. I throw the ball and get a strike and sit down quickly.

"Do you want a drink?" I turn to Peeta who is taking his wallet out of his jeans.

"I'm okay thank you." I say tightly and Peeta tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers brush my skin and it makes my skin burn.

"Are you hungry?" Peeta asks and I swallow. "Come with me?" Peeta steps away and I stand up and follow him to the restaurant area of the alley. "Burger and fries with coke, please." Peeta says easily to the waitress, she looks Peeta up and down and licks her lips flirtatiously. Peeta smiles at her then turns to me.

"Can I have the same? If that's okay?" I ask quietly and Peeta nods.

"Make that two, please?" Peeta puts some money on the counter then turns to me. "I wish you would talk to me, Kat." Peeta says quietly and I bristel at his words.

"I tried that Peeta. You disconnected you phone." I wanted my voice to come harsh but it came out sounding hurt. Peeta scratched his temple.

"It was hard for me," Peeta said quietly. "You were there and I was here." I wanted to scoff at his words and in my head I did.

"I won't ask you about what happened and you don't ask me about what happened. Ok?" I asked and he picked up the tray of food.

"Ok." He said simpled and we sat down with the other guys. I sat next to Gerry and he smiled at me.

"Can I steal some fries?" Gerry asked and I covered my mouth with my hand and nodded because I had a mouthful of burger. He took a couple and chewed them. My phone rang and I took it out of my pocket and carefully lifted the battered flip top so it didn't snap like I was afraid it would.

"I'll be right back." I said to no one in particular then stood up and spoke into the phone.

**Peeta's P.O.V**

Katniss had down graded her phone again. When we left camp I know she sold the iPhone and bought a cheaper model but apparently that model wasn't cheap enough. The phone looked like it was going to fall apart any minute and when Katniss opened it, I knew she was worried of the same thing.

Finnick swooped in and took a handful of fries but I was preoccupied by watching Katniss on the phone. She wasn't talking, she was listening. It looked like she was being told off because her head was bowed and her shoulders were sunk down.

"So what's the deal with you and Katniss?" I was startled by Gerry who sat next to me, he ankles crossed over each other as he watched Dan bowl.

"There's no deal." I said, Katniss closed the phone and went into the loo.

"Why not?" Gerry asked and I looked at him. "Come on, Peet. She's beautiful and broken. Be her knight in shining armour." Gerry smirked and followed me as I stood up and picked up a ball.

"There's nothing between us, Gerry. You should ask her out." I said as I slipped my fingers into the designated holes in the ball.

"Alright, I'll believe nothing is going on if you can picture her naked and not get a strike when you bowl." I looked at Gerry and he raised his eyebrows.

"I'm not doing that. It's creepy." I replied as I waited for the pins to be put back.

"I'll imagine for you then and you listen. Think about how deep you would get into her if you did her in your heated pool. With the rapids flowing as you slam into her repeatedly and she screams your name." Gerry said seductively and I looked at the pins. "Bowl." He demanded but my mind was locked on those times when she would scream, shout, whisper, cry, yell, moan and groan my name. I threw the ball down the lane, desperate to just sit down and make some attempt at hiding my semi.

"Strike!" Stephen yelled as I sighed deeply. Gerry sat next to me and I put my right ankle on my left knee.

"Now I have to torture you because you lied to me, Peet baby." I looked at Gerry who stretched his arms above his head. "I admire you, Peeta. In your, er, situation, I wouldn't be able to drive Katniss home." I closed my eyes and groaned internally. "Your car is awfully small. You would be so close to her." I open my eyes and watch as everyone high fives Marcus for winning the bowling. "If you play your cards right she might even fuck you in your car." Gerry continued and I clenched my jaw. "God I can see it now, the steering wheel digging into her back as she rides you, her tits bouncing perfectly, her hands on the roof of your car as you hold her hips." I stand up and stuff my hands in my pockets. "Hell Peeta, I'm hard thinking about it. Just get in her, boy!" Gerry smirks as he stands next to me.

"There are rules Gerry. I can't have a relationship with my foster-sister. She'd get sent away because everyone would see it as her fault. I signed the papers saying I wouldn't do it." I explained as I pulled my jacket and everyone started to clear out of the alley.

"Rules are made to be broken, Peeta." Gerry whispered in my ear before, squeezing my shoulder and heading out into the snow.

"Ready?" I asked Katniss and she smiled. Oh god, that smile. Not quite as beautiful as her after sex smile but very god damn near it. I felt myself strain against my jeans and hoped she wouldn't see. This was humiliating.

**Katniss P.O.V**

The drive back was awkward to say the least. Peeta didn't speak and his erection looked like it was going to break out of his jeans. He was clearly uncomfortable because he kept shuffling in his seat when the car was stopped at light or he was letting people cross the road.

I couldn't help considering if he was any bigger. Peeta had gotten taller, does that mean his erection would be longer? Thicker? I could feel myself getting wet so when Peeta parked his car in the garage I got out quickly. We silently fought through the snow and into the house where giggling met us instantly. Peeta headed straight upstairs and I had to bite my lip to stop myself imagining what he was doing.

When I got to the kitchen, Mr Mellark and Prim were covered in flour and laughing hysterically.

"Katniss! Go away!" Prim yelled and I was shocked. "You'll see the surprise! Go to your room!"

"Turn around!" Mr Mellark yelled and I did as I was told. "Your room is up the main stairs, turn left, the fourth door on the right! Go!" I laughed as I followed his instructions.

One, two, three, four doors. I pushed the door open and froze.

Peeta was sat on the edge of his bed, facing me, his jeans and boxers at his ankles as he pumped himself ferociously. My entire body started to burn with longing for him. I wanted Peeta so badly but Jenna had told me if she caught a whiff of something between Me and any of the Mellark boys she would shove Prim into a foster home quicker than I could jack Rye, Evan or Peeta off. Her words.

I put a hand over my eyes quickly.

"Sorry, Peeta." I said and the sound of him masturbating stopped.

"Jesus, Kat." He muttered and when I peeked through my hand, he had his boxers and jeans pulled up.

"I was looking for the room I'm staying in..." I trailed off as Peeta nodded and smiled awkwardly.

"Opposite, your room's there and Prim's is next to yours." Peeta said, I nodded and left because memories were running through my mind. As soon as I was in my room I shut the door and closed my eyes.


	3. Chapter 3: A midnight rendezvous

_**A/N: If you haven't read the prequel to this then you totally should, it's on my profile.  
To those of you who have been reading since 'The Summer on Fire' thank you and I'M SORRY it has taken so long but my parents have decided on getting a divorce and it's insane here at the moment!**_

_**Chapter three: A midnight rendezvous.**_

I didn't see Peeta after that until dinner. When I walked in with Prim, Peeta and Evan stood up from their chairs and Rye quickly followed. I blushed and Mr Mellark showed us to our chairs. I was opposite Peeta. Of course.

"How was bowling, Katniss?" Mr Mellark asked me as he ripped a chunk of bread from a loaf in front of him and started chewing on it.

"It was good, thank you sir." I said politely and Mr Mellark laughed.

"You make me sound like an old man, dear. Call me Ben." He smiled at me and I smiled back. "I was thinking we could all go out on a walk tomorrow if it stops snowing quite so heavily." Ben mused and Prim nodded eagerly.

"Oh, I love the snow." Prim gushed and I bit my lip, waiting for it. "Katniss and Gale took me to a field once, and we made a huge snowman. It was taller than Gale!" There it was. Gale. I stared at my plate. "Gale put me on his shoulders and we had a snowball fight with Katniss. She won because she pulled Gale's bottoms down so he couldn't move!" Prim and Ben laughed but I was finding it hard to even breathe right now. "Do you remember, Katniss?" Prim asked me and I managed to nod.

"He sounds like he loved you both a lot." Ben said and I gripped the arms of my chair tightly. I was about to lose it and go crazy when I felt something rub against my leg. Peeta was slowly running his foot along my calf and it was soothing. It was wrong, I felt like I was risking Prim's safety but, I needed this. I needed some comfort and I needed said comfort from Peeta.

"What's for dinner, Dad?" Evan asked, he seemed to have picked up on my discomfort talking about Gale. He smiled assuringly at me and I smiled back slightly.

"Gammon with green beans, roast potatoes and of course, bread rolls!" Ben informed us all and everyone smiled and nodded. Melissa came in and put all of our plates down in front of us and then brought in her own plate and took a seat next to Prim. "Dig in, guys!" Ben almost shouted and I popped a potato in my mouth and then glanced across at Prim. She hadn't eaten anything and I put down my knife and squeezed her arm. She looked at me, her eyes scared.

"It's yours, Prim. They aren't going to take it from you." I whisper, she bites her lip.

"Last time you said that, that boy followed you into the shower." She whispered back and I swallowed. "I don't want you to get hurt because of me again." Prim whispers and I notice that everyone else at the table is talking too loudly for them to not be listening.

"I'm not hurt. I'm fine." I tell her and she glares at me but with a sad look in her eyes.

"Katniss, you think you're hiding it really well but you can't hide those bruises." Prim says and I chew on my lip.

"Don't you like it, Primrose?" Ben asks and Prim blushes.

"Oh, no its lovely." Prim says quickly and I look over at Peeta. He's studying me and I blush slightly, Peeta's eyes flick between me and Prim and they settle just below my left eye. I'd got a bit of a black eye but it was pretty faded now.

"Prim," Peeta spoke and Prim turned to him. "No one is going to take anything from you, Prim. Not while you're here." Peeta seemed almost angry and I wanted to ask him about it. Prim started eating after that and we all joined in.

"So, Katniss, what's your favourite subject in school?" Evan asks and I swallow my mouthful and look across at him.

"I like english. I enjoy reading." I tell him and he nods.

"Me too! I'll show you my library after dessert! Do you write yourself?" He asks and then drinks some wine from his glass.

"Ummmm, sort of." I reply vaguely and everyone turns to me, Prim has a little smile on her face. "I like to make stories from photographs." I reply and Evan raises his eyebrows.

"What camera do you use?" He asks stretching his back and I blush.

"I, uhhhh, I don't own a camera myself. Not any more." I asnwered and Prim nodded.

"She sold it so I could go on a school trip." Prim explained and I swallowed. I didn't want their pity.

"You must love your sister a lot." Rye said and I looked across at him. I hadn't really heard him speak until now. "I'm a photographer by the way. I don't imagine anyone really told you." His voice had a continuously bored tone to it and it was quite hard to listen without rolling your eyes. "I have a lot of cameras. Different cameras for different specs, you know? Lots of people come to me nowadays." I couldn't tell if he was just trying to make chat or if he was being ignorant and showing off so I just smiled. "I'm trying to say you can use them, Katniss. If you wanted. To do your story thing." He was being nice.

"Thank you, Rye. I might take you up on that." I smiled at him and he nodded.

"I think it is time for dessert?" Ben spoke up and I can't deny how excited I was about this. "Prim helped me make it!" Prim grinned from ear to ear and I took a minute to take in her smile. I hadn't seen that smile in a very long time. When I stopped gazing at my little sister I realised all the plates were gone and in the place were empty bowls.

"Wow, this looks delicious!" Peeta gushed and Prim looked at him confused. He pretended to eat what was in the bowl, though nothing was there. "How did you get it to be so light and airy, Prim?" Peeta asked and Prim burst out laughing. A real shocking laugh that made everyone in the room smile.

"Oh, a natural touch Peeta!" Prim roared with laughter again and I tried not to be jealous that I don't think I've made her laugh like that for over a year. The lights went out suddenly and I jumped up, panicked. Then Melissa came in the room holding a huge cake with candles in. I blushed immediately and then to make it worse Prim and Ben started singing happy birthday to me. Evan joined in and then Rye. As I looked up, Peeta was looking at me, he was mouthing the words but I think he was a bit hurt that I hadn't told him it was my birthday. It wasn't personal, I just didn't like celebrating something that wasn't really a big deal.

The cake was put in front of my and I studied it, there were two tiers and on top was a cupcake. The butter icing was green, not a solid colour but different shades through out and it made me think of the trees.

"You have to blow out the candles!" Prim yelled and I laughed. "And make a wish!" She added. As I blew out the candles I couldn't help but let my eyes flick to Peeta, he was smiling but it wasn't reaching his eyes. The room went dark before Melissa flicked on the lights. "What did you wish for?" Prim asked and I smiled.

"It doesn't count if she tells you!" Evan told her and she pouted at him but he just threw his screwed up napkin in her face she laughed and threw it back at him. "Oi! Come here!" He yelled, laughing. Then jumped from his chair, Prim screamed but with a huge grin on her face and rane round the table away from Evan. "I'm gonna getcha!" Prim ran out the door and her laughter and screams echoed through the house as he chased her.

"She's going to be sick!" I shouted as Evan carried her into the room upside down.

"She's having fun, Katniss!" Peeta argued and I glared at him.

"Well it's going to be just dandy when she pukes in your house!" I shouted and everyone went quiet. "I'm sorry." I quickly said and looked at Peeta's father.

"I think you need to go and have a few minutes in your room, Katniss." Ben said quietly and I bowed my head. Evan put Prim back on her feet and she rushed to me. "Stay here, Primrose." Ben said and Prim stamped her foot.

"I want to go wi..."

"I told you to stay here and sit down so do as I say please. I do not want to shout." His quiet tone made Prim do as he said. "Go now please, Katniss. Come down when you are calm or do not come down at all."

"Yes sir." I muttered and stalked out of the room.

I decided not to come down at all. I was bored of sitting on my bed and looked at the clock on the wall it was half eleven. I grabbed a towel and pushed the door next to Peeta's open and locked it behind me.

The bathroom was huge. There was a shower and a bath and I nearly shuddered at the thought of soaking my bruises in a bath with a locked bathroom door. I quickly ran the water and noticed only male shower wash and bath wash and shampoo so I glugged some of it in anyway and then stripped and sunk in.

After about fifteen minutes I heard talking so I slipped out the bath and pulled the plug before wrapping a towel around myslef. I shoved my clothes in the hamper and opened the bathroom door and stepped out only to crash into Peeta.

"Shit! Sorry, sh!" I tried not to giggle at him. He was wearing his leather jacket and had various bags in his hands. "Good bath?" He asked quietly and I nodded. His eyes roamed over my shoulders and I knew it was too late to hide the purple bruise on my collar bone. "You smell like me." Peeta said, catching me off guard. He pushed the bags so they were in one hand and ran his finger over my bruise. Then he looked at his watch and smiled. "Still got ten minutes." He said then pushed my bedroom door open and stepped in. "Come on!" He said in a hushed voice and I follow Peeta in before he closed the door.

"What are you doing, it's nearly midnight!" I exclaimed quietly and he deposited all the bags on my bed.

"Which means it is nearly the end of you birthday!" Peeta said as if it were obvious. "Do you want to get dressed?" He asked quietly with a look of aumsement.

"I'm good." I said, not wanting him to think he had the upper hand.

"I think you should get dressed." He said and I locked eyes with him.

"I'm fine." I said, finding it amusing how he shifted uncomfortably. "Unless you want me to get some clothes on?" I asked, smirking at him.

"No, I don't want you to put some clothes on, Katniss." Peeta murmured and I swallowed. "But you're making it awfully hard not to kiss you right now." My heart stopped.

"Why?" I managed to choke out and Peeta pulled his jacket off.

"You're wearing a towel, that is showing some of your clevage, you used my soap to wash with and I just have very bad self control." He told me and I quickly lifted the lid of my suitcase.

"Cover your eyes." I say quietly. I wouldn't care if he saw me naked. I just don't want to see me covered in bruises. Especially not the ones on my breasts and the ones on the insides of my thighs made my that boy from the fosterhome holding me down. I slipped into some pyjamas and hooked the towel over the desk chair. "Okay."

"Okay! Get opening!" He said, grinning.

"Huh?" I asked confused as he slipped off his vans and leaned his back against the head board.

"The presents, open up." Peeta said and my eyebrows shot up. "Quick, they have to be open before midnight so you have," he looks at his watch. "Just under five minutes. Quick!" He grinned and I peered inside one of the bags. I pulled out a box that had a picture of the new iPhone on and I gasped. "Quit dawdling! Open the rest then look at them!" Peeta urged so I moved to the next bag. This one contained a helium balloon, so as soon as I opened the bag, the balloon popped out, tethered to a weight inside the bag. I hid my laughter and batted the balloon at Peeta's face. The next bag contained a canon camera and I was about to read the box when Peeta hit the balloon in my face. "Two minutes!" He grinned and I opened the next bag. I pulled out a box with the big letters of converse star and sighed. The next bag contained a bottle of tequila. I looked at Peeta and he shrugged. "I figured we could toast to your birthday." The final bag had a small box that I couldn't resist opening. Inside was a beautiful golden locket that I picked up carefully.

"How do you open it?" I asked quietly and Peeta stood up, taking it from my hands.

"You have to turn this little bit at the back," I stepped closed to look. "Then press these two buttons together." He pressed them and it popped open. I took it carefully from his fingers and looked inside. On the right hand side was a picture of Prim and me and on the left, a picture of Gale and me. My breath caught and I looked up at Peeta.

"How did you get these pictures?" I ask quietly and Peeta smiled.

"Believe me, it was hard." He grinned at me and I blinked rapidly. "Did I over step the mark?" Peeta asked concerned as I wiped my tears away. He crouched down to be at my level and his eyes flicked between mine.

"Why are you being so nice?" I ask through my sobs. Peeta wipes a tear away with his thumb and smiles sadly.

"I tried ignoring you and then my dad fostered you. I tried being mad at you and then you smiled." I snapped the locket shut in my fingers carefully. "I tried being nice and you cried so now I'm stuck for what to do to make you happy!" He laughed and I managed a small laugh as well. I laugh died out as we locked eyes. He stepped closer and I licked my lips slightly, Peeta stooped a little and pressed his forehead to mine, this brushed his nose across mine before planting a tender kiss on my lips. I think I moaned because Peeta pulled back to look at me.

"We can't." I whispered and he shut his eyes for a few seconds.

"If that's what you want." Peeta mumbled bent to pick up his discarded shoes.

"It is." Was it? Did I want him to leave now? It was too late anyway, my door closed behind him and I curled into my bed next to the presents.

I was still on fosterhome hours, so I woke up at five o'clock. I watched the helium balloon bob about for a bit before I sat up and studied the camera. It was heavy and I took it out of its box. I pressed the power button and the camera came to life, it was fully charge and I made sure it had a memory card in before I pulled a jumper over my pyjama top and slipped my feet into by pink converse and crept out of my room with the camera.

"Come round later then, okay?" I heard Peeta's voice in the kitchen and debated whether to carry on listening. I decided to just walk in loudly, Peeta smiled quickly at me and continued kneading a lump of dough. "Sure, bring your football yeh? See you later then." He ended the call and focused on the dough. I couldn't help lifting the camera and taking a quick photo. "Did you take a photo of me?" He asks, looking over at me as I filled a glass with water.

"Maybe. Why are you up so early?" I ask and he turns to the clock on the wall.

"I get up and make bread or whatever and go for a run then shower and by that time everyone else is up." He shrugged like it was a usual thing. "Why are you up so early?" He asked me as I put my empty glass in the sink.

"I don't sleep well." I mutter and he nodded. "I'm going to get some pictures of the sun rising." Peeta smiles at me and I feel myself wanting to carry on talking to him. "I want to get a photo where the sun is rising but it's partially blocked by a tree covered in snow."

"Sounds pretty." Peeta said and put the dough in a bowl. "Be careful, the snows pretty deep in the garden, I nearly lost Max in it when I let him out." Peeta smirked and I opened the kitchen door and stepped out.

I sat in the living room on the sofa, my feet tucked up beneath me while I flicked through the photos on my new camera. Prim was laying on the floor with Max and I wasn't sure where the Mellark's were.

A small smile spread across my face when I flicked through the photos of Peeta. Admittedly, it was a little weird that I had photos of him running but I felt like he was his own story. At that moment I heard his voice from somewhere upstairs.

"He isn't that bad!" Peeta said loudly and I heard a drawer slam closed.

"He's an arrogant, self serving, dick head!" Rye shouted at Peeta.

"Don't swear! Prim will hear you!" Peeta said a little less loudly and I looked at Prim who was muttering to Max as he watched her intently. "We won't get in your way!"

"Gerry's always in everyone's damn way!" Rye yelled and there was a banging noise followed by a smash.

"Idiot! Don't throw things at me just because you don't like my friends!" Peeta yelled, angrily. I looked at the clock on the wall and stood up.

"I'm going to see if my bottoms are dried, Prim." I told her and she nodded. I walked through the house, listening to Peeta and Rye.

"You made me bleed!" Peeta shouted and a door slammed shut. "Grow up, Rye!" There were stomping footsteps down the stairs as I bent to take my pyjamas out of the tumble drier. "Son of a bitch." Peeta muttered and I turned quickly.

He stepped into the laundry room with his t shirt half off his head and then tugged it off.

"Oh, hey. Sorry about that." Peeta says and I try very hard not to look at his body. "Rye doesn't like Gerry. Says he's a jack-ass." Peeta says as he rummages through a pile of t shirts.

"Is he?" I ask as casually as possible. His back is to me so I let my eyes roam, his back is smooth looking with a small scar on his shoulder blade. But that's not what my eyes are stuck on. My eyes are stuck on his low hanging jeans, a black belt holding them in place.

"God yeah. He's a complete jack-ass." Peeta says and turn suddenly so I'm now looking at the zipper on his jeans, I try to look up at him quickly but my eyes demand I look at his body. His body is a lot more chiselled than last time I saw him topless. His stomach bearing an eight pack rather than a six pack. When my eyes finally get to his face he is just looking at me easily. "You could probably say that his motto is 'rules are made to be broken'." Peeta said, his voice low and I knew he was talking about us.

"Breaking rules hurts people." I defend myself as Peeta slowly pulls a midnight blue t shirt over his head.

"Only if people find out." He said and I swallowed.

"They always find out." I say quietly and we break our eye contact when the door bell rings through the house.

"That will be Gerry." Peeta mutters as he smooths the back of his hair. He locks eyes with me again just before he leaves the room. "The ball's in your court, Katniss. I'm just hoping you're going to serve it." Peeta said then left.

**Peeta's P.O.V**

I walked out of the laundry room and mentally kicked myself. That was the most stupid thing I have ever said! Damn it! I tugged open the door an accepted Gerry's 'bro hug'.

"Peet, you look like you just got shot down." Gerry says straight away and I groan.

"Something like that." I mutter and close the door. "Xbox? Did you bring the game?" I ask and Gerry pulls it out of his bag. "Nice." I say and we go up the stairs two at a time.

"So, come on, what happened?" Gerry asked as we slumped back into the gamer chairs. "Did you bang her yet?" Gerry asks and I kick his knee.

"1. I'd never 'bang' her, Gerry. So don't be so crude. 2. No, I haven't for a while. 3. I shouldn't have said that." I added the last point when Gerry snapped his head towards me.

"Wait, what? Not for a while? Peeta!" He turned his body to me and I rolled my eyes. "I thought you met like, yesterday?" Gerry asks confused and I sigh.

"This is entirely confidential, Gerry. You can't tell people about this." I say and we pinky promise. "Remember last year I went to that summer camp thing?" He nodded at me as we waited for the disc to be read. "Katniss was there too. We started off as a bit of summer fun, then it got serious but," I wasn't going to rat Finnick out. "She had hooked up with someone at the start of our just for fun thing and it got hard to deal with." I clicked a few buttons. "Then she lost someone close to her and the camp ended, I went down to see her, we'd you know..." I trailed off, weirdly embarrassed.

"I don't know, tell me!" Gerry exclaimed and I sighed.

"We'd do it." I said and Gerry nodded. "It was a break for both of us, you know." We turned to the game and started shooting the zombies.

"So what happened? Why aren't you sneaking into each other's rooms and fucking? Can I say fucking?" Gerry asked.

"Because to me it was serious, ugh, I felt like I was making god damn love to her." I blushed and Gerry awwww'd. "But to her it was just fucking."

"Ouch, sounds rough Peet. Is that the end of the story?" Gerry asked, staring at the plasma screen in my games room.

"I stopped going down to see her." I said simply, wishing I hadn't started this.

"And she stopped asking for you to go down?" Gerry asked and I squirmed.

"Not exactly..." Gerry paused the game and turned to me.

"So she still wanted you and you ignored her calls?" Gerry asked, shocked.

"Remember when I got a new number because I said someone kept prank calling me." I asked and Gerry nodded. "There wasn't a prank caller. I disconnected my number and got a new one so she couldn't call me."

"Fucking hell Peeta!" Gerry nearly shouted and unpaused the game. We were quiet for a while, focusing on the game.

"I kissed her last night." I said quietly.

"How was it?" Gerry asked.

"Wet." I said and Gerry looked across at me.

"Where were you kissing her Peeta?" He asked and I laughed.

"She was crying." I explained.

"How was it, besides the wetness?" Gerry asked, trying not to laugh.

"Hot." I replied and Gerry laughed.

"Hot?" He queried.

"We weren't supposed to do it, so it made it more... Intense." I said finding the right word.

"Tongues?" Gerry asked.

"Nope." I replied and he seemed shocked.

"How long was it?" He asked and I smirked.

"A few seconds. You wouldn't get it, if a girl doesn't tongue you on your first kiss you dump her." I said and Gerry shrugged.

"I haven't found a girl that gets me going with just a kiss. Try ignoring her, like just be polite. Don't start conversations, only smile at her if she smiles first, when you're in conversation with her keep looking at your watch."

"Why would I do that? That's rude?" I asked and he laughed and stood up, dropping his controller on the chair.

"If she wants you, she'll show you somehow. Football?" Gerry pulled his football out of his bag and I followed him downstairs.

"How will she show me?" I ask as we pull our shoes on.

"She'll make more of an effort first, then probably ignore you, then be angry and no doubt argue with you. Don't argue back, just take it like you aren't bothered, shrug a lot and repeatedly look around you. Then, she'll need you." We stepped out into the snow.

"How do you know that?" I ask and Gerry smiles.

"I know the ladies." Gerry says like the arse he is and tosses the football to me.

"Did you read your Lucy's diary again?" I ask and jog away and throw the football at him.

"Totally. Who'd have thought your twin sister could help you pick up girls!" Gerry said and I laughed.

_**A/N: ****Let me know if you like it! REVIEW! They really cheer me up a whole load!**_


	4. Chapter 4: Finding Home

_**A/N:**** I want to say a real quick thank you to everyone who has reviewed/Favorited/followed. It really gives me confidence! Keep reviewing and let me know if there are some things you want me to add/change/improve on.**_

_**Chapter four: Finding home.**_

**Katniss' P.O.V**

"Katniss? You aren't listening to me? Are you?" I spun round to Prim, tearing my eyes away from Peeta who is sat in the corner of the living room with Gerry.

"Sorry, Prim. What did you say?" I look at her, smiling.

"Forget it." Prim sighed and I looked at her apologetically. "Do you want to play scrabble?" She asked and I mentally rolled my eyes but agreed. "I'll get the box and you can ask Peeta and his friend to play." Prim scuttled from the room and I walked over to Peeta and Gerry as casually as possible. Gerry smiled at me but Peeta didn't even look up.

"Hey, do you guys maybe want to play scrabble?" I asked and realised how sad that sound. Peeta passed his phone to Gerry he laughed at the screen and passed it back to Peeta. "Peeta?" I ask.

"What?" He snaps and I blink a few times. He blatantly looks at his watch and I feel myself blush, Peeta clearly doesn't want to talk to me.

"Scrabble," I manage to say and Peeta makes a bored noise in his throat. "Prim wanted you to play." I say as an excuse.

"Well if Prim's playing, of course!" Peeta pushed his phone into his jeans pocket and him and Gerry stood up. He was only playing because of Prim. That's okay though because I didn't love him, I didn't even fancy him anymore.

We all sit down as Prim unfolds the board and passes around the bag with the letters in.

"I'll go first! Then to Peeta, then Prim then Katniss!" Gerry said and put down the word 'love' Peeta scoffed and put the word 'hate' using the 'e' from love. I scratched my neck, I felt like he was striking out at me. Prim put down 'happy' and Peeta smiled broadly at her. I wanted one of those smiles. I smirked to myself and put down 'pitta' like the bread, we weren't allowed names but it was just coincidence pitta sound like Peeta.

"How do you spell Antigua?" Prim asked and we looked at her, confused.

"Do you want to put it on the board?" Gerry asked and Prim looked at him innocently.

"No, I was just curious." We all laughed at her.

I looked up from my book and gazed around the room. Peeta was sat next to me on the sofa, also reading, Prim and Gerry were facing each other lying on their stomachs playing chess, Rye was fiddling with an old looking camera and Evan was staring at his laptop screen. His fingers unmoving, I assumed he had writer's block or something.

"What are you reading?" I asked, leaning towards Peeta slightly, he didn't answer. "Peeta?"

"Hm?" He kept his eyes on the book and turned the page.

"What are you reading?" I asked again.

"A book." He replied shortly and I sat back. I was just trying to be damn polite, why was he being a dick today?

"Are you sure? It kind of looks like a boat." I say sarcastically and he turns the book over in his hands then hums slightly.

"Hmmm, no, it's definitely a book." Peeta says and I glare at the side of his face. "I'll try reading a boat sometime. Sounds... Riveting." His voice is dripping with sarcasm and I gape at him.

"Don't mind Peeta," Gerry said from the floor. "He's annoyed that he got rejected." I blush, I had rejected him last night. Peeta shot a look at Gerry. "Some girl in a club last week told him that he should call her when he leaves high school." Peeta threw a cushion at Gerry who swatted it out of the way, laughing. So Peeta goes to clubs, okay. Nothing to do with me.

"He shouldn't be in clubs anyway." Rye piped up from the other side of the room and Peeta growled in annoyance. "He isn't even eighteen yet." Rye muttered in his continually bore tone.

"He has a name." Peeta said roughly and I smiled at Prim as she hurried out of the room.

"Yes, well I'm sure none of the girls he picks up remembers his name either." Rye said and Evan looked over at him then at Peeta then back to his laptop.

"At least I can pick up girls, Rye. The only person remotely female you can get is Linda!" Peeta raised his voice. "And believe me, because I fucking know, she's shit in bed." Rye slammed the camera on the table and turned to Peeta. "But that might just be me saying that because I had a cigarette in my head while she fucked me!" Peeta stood up just after Rye did.

"Don't talk about our Mother like that!" Rye yelled and prodded a finger to Peeta's chest. "You're a liar, Peeta! Everyone knows it!"

"Don't pretend, Rye, that you couldn't hear me shouting!" Rye paled slightly, Gerry stood up and put a hand on Peeta's shoulder but he shrugged it off. "That you couldn't hear my screams of pain when she burnt me! That you couldn't hear her orgas..." Peeta was cut off when Rye punched him square on the nose.

"What the hell is going on?" Ben appeared in the door way. As Peeta turned round to look at him, blood gushed from his nose. "Jesus christ, boys!" Peeta hurried out of the door and Gerry followed him quickly. When Evan slowly left, I left as well and as soon as I did Ben started talking in a rushed voice to Rye.

I walked into the kitchen and watch quietly as Peeta sat down on a leather chair as Gerry passed him a towel to wipe his blood on.

"Tip your head back and pinch the top of your nose." I mutter and they both look at me. Gerry nudges Peeta so Peeta does as I said and winces in pain.

"Dude is it broken?" Gerry exclaimed and Peeta glares at him.

"I don't know, it freaking hurts." Peeta mumbles and I walk over.

"Let me see." I say and Peeta turns to me. "Move your hands." Peeta takes the towel from his face and I tip his face back towards the ceiling by pushing my finger underneath his chin. "Tell me when it hurts." I say and he rolls his eyes.

"Well it hurts no-Ow! Ow! Fucking ow!" Peeta growls through his teeth when I pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Don't be a baby." I tell him and take the towel from his lap.

"It hurt." Peeta says bluntly then closes his mouth when I wipe the blood from his face.

"Peet, I gotta go and get Elijah from his swimming lesson. You alright here?" Gerry says and Peeta stands up quickly making me step backwards, they both leave the room and I head upstairs to find Prim.

I check my room first and I'm not surprised when I see her looking out of my window. I stand next to her and she continues to watch a squirrel bound through the snow.

"Have you been crying?" I ask and she nods so I cross my room, heading for the bathroom to get some tissue. I push the bathroom door open then stop when I see Peeta facing away from me in his boxers. "Sorry." I mutter and he turns and shrugs. "Why are you being weird?" I ask suddenly.

"I'm not... I'm getting in the shower." He says and turns the water on. "You should have knocked." He scolds me and I feel myself blush.

"You're being weird, Peeta." I say and he smirks. "What?" I say smiling back.

"You're calling me weird when you just walked in on me and then didn't leave. That's weird." He says and I stop smiling. "We're almost brother and sister now."

"Almost, but not quite." I find myself saying back and he scratches his left shoulder.

"So you just don't like me anymore? Like as in... Love." He says and I swallow. I refrain from reminding him he's the one that left me.

"I signed papers," I confessed to him, he nodded indicating he did too. "I promised I wouldn't get involved with one of the Mellark's. If I did they'd separate me from Prim and send her back to the foster home we were in." I say quickly and Peeta steps close to me.

"The foster homes' where you got those horrible bruises on your shoulders?" He asks quietly and I bit my lip.

"Not just on my shoulders." I murmur and he frowns. "If I get involved with you, the things they nearly did to me would happen to Prim." Peeta's eyes search my face as my eyes drop to his body, taking the muscles in.

"What nearly happened to you?" He whispered in a worried tone and I realised if I didn't leave now I would do something I shouldn't.

"I have to go." I say and Peeta nods gently before I practically run from the room.

"Where'd you go?" Prim asks when I step back into my room and collapse on my bed.

"The loo." I mutter, throwing one of my arms over my face. Prim sits next to me and I sigh.

"Is it because of me?" Prim asks and I peek a look at her.

"Is what because of you?" I ask, confused.

"That you won't get back with Peeta." She says and I swallow. "He makes you happy Katniss."

"So do you." I reply quickly and she laughs.

"Yeah, but I can't make you feel the things he can." My mouth drops open in shock.

"Prim! Shut up! Ew!" I exclaim and she laughs again.

"Oh come on! I'm not stupid, you expect me to believe that during the summer you and Peeta used to just hold hands and cuddle?" She says, laughing and I blush madly.

"I don't want to talk about this with you!"I whine and she continues to laugh.

"You know I'm nearly fifteen right?" I roll so I'm face down, buring my embarrassment. "We do sex education in school!"

"Stop! This is weird! You're my little sister! I don't want to talk about sex!" I whine again and she lays down next to me.

"Did you do other stuff with Peeta?" She asks and I scream in horror and roll away, falling off my bed and thumping to the floor. I landed on my bum and now fall back on the floor laughing so hard no sound is coming out.

"Are you alright?" I hear Peeta say and as I look up I laugh out loud because he is stood with a towel around his waist, his body shimmering with water and his hair flat on his head from the water. "What happened?" He asks, smirking and I feel the tears fall from my face.

"Katniss... Fell." Prim managed in squeaks which made us laugh harder. "Now... You...naked." Prim is almost wailing with laughter and I clutch my stomach.

"Think...I'm getting... A six pack!" I yelled and Prim roared, Peeta grinned and I continued to laugh and groan in pain at the same time.

"Peeta...done a lot... Of laughing to get... eight pack... Then!" Prim roared and I calmed slightly to let my eyes travel over his body. I bit my lip as I laughed and Peeta shook his head in amusement.

"You guys are going to die from laughter. So immature!" Peeta said and Prim pointed at him.

"You're immature!" She shouted, her laughter subsiding.

"Me! I'm nearly eighteen! You aren't even fifteen!" He pointed back, laughing and Prim launches herself at him, she was kneeling at his side and she grabbed the towel, making his face contort as he struggled to keep the towel up.

"Prim!" I shouted at her and she looked over at me just as Peeta's towel opened to reveal a large erection. Peeta quickly covered himself up, and looked at me.

"What?" Prim turned back to Peeta and we were quiet for a few seconds before we erupted with laughter. "I don't get it!" Prim cried and I rolled onto my side with laughter.

"That was way too close! No more towel grabbing Prim!" Peeta laughed and Prim stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. "Jesus! That would have been horrifying!" Peeta exclaimed and I managed to sit up, my back against the bedside table.

"More for Prim or you?" I asked and he laughed.

"I don't even know! Both?" I giggled again and Peeta sat down on my desk chair, from this angle I could see the bulge under his towel.

"She'd have been scarred for life and you would have died of embarrassment if she saw! Her face was right there!" I held in another laugh as I wiped my tears away.

"I couldn't help it! I'm a horny teenager!" Peeta defended himself and we both fell silent, looking at each other.

"You've grown." I say quietly and he smirks.

"You noticed." He replies and I nod.

"Kind of hard not to." I say and he nods. Peeta opens his mouth to speak when Melissa shouts through the house that dinner is ready. Peeta stands up and I copy him, he opens the door for me and I step out.

"I should go and errrrrr, you know." Peeta says and I stop the images in my mind.

"Peeta Smith Mellark! You have twenty seconds to be dressed before I make you eat dinner naked!" Melissa yells when she walks past the hallway and sees him in a towel.

"That's not fair." He mutters. "This is your fault for falling out of bed. Give me a second." He says and steps into his room.

"You have eight." I reply and watch as he pulls a pair of black jeans up under the towel, throws the towel over his desk chair, and walks out unfolding a t shirt.

"Why did you fall out anyway?" He asks as we slowly make our way to the stairs.

"Prim asked me what we did at summer besides sex." I reply and he stops at the top stair.

"Are you trying to make me even more uncomfortable downstairs?" He asks and I look down at his crotch.

"Your flies are undone." Peeta growls softly before pulling up the zip and doing the button. I trot down the stairs and he follows me, pulling the top of his head through his top as he goes.

The only seats left at the table are next to each other so when I sit next to Evan, Peeta sits next to me. Lasagna is already served on our plates and everyone else is eating. So Peeta and I dig in.

"School's closed tomorrow, Peeta and Katniss." Ben mumbles through his food and I nod.

"I volunteered to go in and shovel some of the snow to get rid of it because of the exams going on." Peeta says and then chews some food. "I'll take Katniss in and she can go and see Mr Burns and get her timetable and stuff, if that's okay?" Peeta turns to me and I nod because my mouth's full.

"Sounds good." Ben remarks and we eat silently for a while. "I was thinking of taking Prim and Katniss into town tomorrow, if you'd like dears, but if you going with Peeta he can take you in after school?" Ben asks and Peeta drinks some water.

"I'll take you to see my friend Delly. She works in a spa, you can have a massage or something if you want?" Peeta asks me and I smile.

"I don't want to be a burden." I'm pretty sure everyone in the room rolled their eyes.

"Katniss, you and Prim are our family now. We want to spoil you both! I'd love to spoil some daughters instead of sons for once!" Ben says with a huge smile and I put more food in my mouth as Peeta finishes his glass of water.

"You look tired, Katniss." Evan says suddenly and I look up at him as he sips from a bottle of beer.

"I don't sleep well." I reply and he nods.

"You should go to bed earlier." Rye chips in and I look at him with a fake grateful look.

"Well she'd never thought of that!" Peeta says snarkily and I look down into my food.

"Boys." Ben says and they instantly stop their staring contest. "We have chocolate cake for pudding, Katniss, but you can go to bed whenever you want dear."

"Thank you, could I go up now?" I ask and Ben looks slightly shocked but nods. "I sleep better when it's light." I explain quietly and he nods again so I stand up.

"Leave the dishes." Melissa says kindly and I thank her and leave.

As soon as I hit the bed I sigh, I really do sleep better in the light but it doesn't mean I sleep well. It takes a matter of minutes before I slip into an fitful sleep of tossing and turning.

My eyes spring open and my heart is pounding. I'm sweating heavily and I start to sob. My clock says its two a.m and I slip out of bed.

I shouldn't but I need to right now. I need to feel safe after the nightmare. I barely even recognise I'm only in an old t-shirt and knickers but I silently close my door as I slip out of the room.

The hallway is dark and scary so I'm thankful I only have to take three steps before knocking lightly then pushing the door open and looking for the bed.

Peeta sits up on his elbows to look at me, he drags a hand over his eyes and squints.

"Katniss?"

"Sorry for waking you. I-I-I had a nightmare." I stutter and he breathes deeply and automatically lifts up his duvet for me to get in. I close the door and practically dive in next to him.

"It's fine. You're shaking." He notes and I nod. "Come here." He whispers so gently and I turn over and cuddle into Peeta's chest.

"Thank you." I mutter as he wraps his arms round me.

"What was it about? The nightmare?" Peeta asks and I tilt my head to look up at him. His eyes are closed.

"I was in the foster home and I walked into the bathroom to shower and a boy from the foster home followed me in and he grabbed my wrists and pushed me against the wall." I gulped but calmed as Peeta ran one hand in small circles on my back and the other up and down my arm lightly. "He pushed me to the floor and kneeled on my thighs and held down my arms so I couldn't move. He pulled down his trousers and started jacking off then he rubbed it on my stomach and ripped my knickers off." I finished Peeta's thumb brushed my tears away.

"Was it imagination or recollection, Katniss?" He asked and I shook as I breathed in. "Oh god." Peeta murmured when I didn't reply. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Katniss." He muttered and I listened to his breathing and his heartbeat as I slipped into a perfect sleep.


	5. Chapter 5:Sometimes it's hard to forget

_**Chapter five: Panem High School and The Red Lion.**_

When my eyes fluttered open I reached for Peeta but only found warm sheets so I rolled into the warmth, as I rolled I turned my head and saw Peeta walk into his room in his boxers. He stretched his arms up above his head and opened his huge wardrobe. When he turned back to me he threw his clothes on my head and I groaned.

"Stop watching me and get your lazy bum up." I could tell from his voice he was smiling and I threw something that was next to me at him. "Jeans first please, who puts socks on first?" He says and I reach around and find something hard and throw it. "Ouch!" I sit up quickly and he is holding his shoulder. "No need for throwing watches!" I laugh and flop backwards. "Up!"

"No!"

"Up! Or you're going to get caught in my room!" Peeta says as he walks over to me and pulls me up. "You slept well."

"Because I was with you." I answer and we lock eyes.

"Peeta, son!" Ben shouts and Peeta turns his head to the door to shout back.

"Occupied Dad! Give me five minutes!" Peeta calls and Ben walks off.

"You tell your Dad when your jerking off?" I ask as Peeta pulls on his jeans.

"Yeah." He shrugs and sits on the bed to pull on socks. "It'd be awkward if my Dad walked in on me!" I laugh and walk to the door. Peeta walks out first and nods at me so I creep into my room.

I pull on jeans, a t-shirt and a jumper and slip on my new converse with a smile. I'm braiding my hair when there's a slight knock on my door and I turn hoping to see Peeta but instead see Evan.

"Hiya, hope I'm not intruding. Can I come in?" Evan asks and I note how he sounds like he needs permission for what he says.

"Course, how are you?" I ask and he steps in, he's wearing faded blue jeans with a jumper and his hair is sticking up. "You got a hair cut?" I smile and he roughly brushes his hair down.

"Mhmm, too much?" I shake my head and he nods. "So, you're wondering why I'm here?" He asks and I shake my head.

"You don't need a reason to talk to me, Evan. We can just talk if you want." He's five years older than me but I feel like he's younger, that he is constantly checking everything's ok.

"Sure. Maybe." He says unsurely and I slip my phone into my pocket. "You're going out! Sorry, don't worry that I came up, never mind!" Evan rushed out of my room and I followed him quickly.

"Hey! Wait up!" He slowed as I levelled with him. "It's only school and even then it isn't a big deal." He smiles sadly and I feel sorry for Evan. He seems the most mature but the most breakable at the same time. "Was there a reason you came to see me?" I ask and he clicks his knuckles nervously.

"Well, I was just going to ask if you maybe wanted to read my books. Or just one. Or none. Whatever." Evan speaks quickly and stops abruptly when we get to the front door.

"I'd love to!" I say excitedly and he beams. "All of them! Do you have a copy?" He nods and I grin. "Could you leave them on my desk?" Peeta walks out of the kitchen which is opposite the large front door and unchains the door quickly.

"See you tonight, Evan." Peeta calls and holds the door open for me.

"Can't wait to read the books!" I assure Evan before Peeta closes the door and we trudge to the garage.

"You're going to read his books?" Peeta asks as we wait for the garage door to open.

"Yeah, have you read them?" I ask as we slip into his car.

"Uh huh, I was the one that sent the drafts to a publisher." Peeta says and flexes his fingers into his leather driving gloves.

"You remind me of an old man." I say suddenly and Peeta looks at me shocked.

"Jeeze, you could have just said puberty wasn't kind to me!" Peeta jokes as he puts the car into drive.

"That's not what I meant! The leather driving gloves, I swear old men wear them!" I explain as he studies he left hand while we go down the straight drive.

"They were a present when I got the car." He tells me and indicates easily.

"From who?" I ask and he hesitates.

"Madge." He says and I nod. Madge was seeing Peeta when I wasn't, okay. That's okay. "She found them in the charity shop and we were discussing them." Why's he defending himself? "In old cars, the steering wheel starts to wear away and become shiny instead of the rubber material on them." I look at the steering wheel, it has dimples in the rubber that look good as new.

"Cool." I reply and look out the front window.

"Am I going to see you tonight?" Peeta asks after a long silence, I look across at him shocked. "You slept well with me so I figured it makes more sense you sleeping with me from the start rather than waking us both up in the middle of the night." He's thought it through.

"It probably isn't a good idea." I find my logical head telling Peeta. He looks at me, his eyes are tired and I look away. "There are rules, remember?"

"So where were they last night when we were cuddling in my bed at three in the morning?" Peeta asks, it's not harsh, it's almost like he's genuinely confused.

"It was wro-it was a bad idea." I correct myself but Peeta picks up on my first sentence.

"It was wrong?" Peeta asks and I focus on the huge school building in front of us as Peeta parks in the snow. "Getting involved with me is wrong? Okay." Peeta says, it sound as if he was telling himself more than me, he cuts the engine and has his gloves off and is out of the car before I've opened my door. "Go through that door, first door on your left is where Mr Burns will be." Peeta mutters as he lifts snow shovels from the boot of his car.

I winced as the cold air hit me. Mr Burns leant out the window.

"Stop throwing snow balls! You are in school!" Mr Burns shouted and I think it was Gerry who turned and shouted back.

"It isn't school time, Sir!" Gerry laughed and Mr Burn adjusted his tie.

"You are on school property, Gerard!" Mr Burns shouted and Gerry laughed when Mr Burns shut the window abruptly, he turned back to me smiled that shockingly charming smile. "Where was I?" He asked himself as he sat back in his leather swivel chair. "Right, so I'm guessing you thought I was going to be partially bald like the Mr Burns from The Simpsons?" He asks and I grin. It's true, I was shocked when he opened the door and stood there with a boyish smile with shocking cheek bones and midnight black curly hair and piercing green eyes.

"A little." I say, and he grins.

"Well, I'm not. I teach English literature here myself and just as all teachers here, I will respect you when you respect me. I will trust you when you trust me. And I will fuck you when you fuck me." Ohmygod, no, he did not say the last line. What the hell Katniss?! "So, here is your introductory bag." Mr Burns passes me a white plastic bag with the blue emblem of the school on and underneath the emblem it says 'Panem Highschool'. "In there you will find your time table and a map of school. We do not expect you to be late to any classes. You cannot change your timetable however, I'm hoping you'll be happy with it because you are in many of the same classes as young Mr Mellark." I groan inwardly. "Oh and we have a three strike policy, Katniss. On your first strike, a letter will be sent to your guardian, on your second strike, a phone call will be made, your third strike you will spend two hours after school on a friday in detention." Jesus! "You have three chances of the three strike rule before you're out. Effectively you have nine strikes before you are permanently expelled." It's like a damn prison! "Strikes will be given for tardiness, lack of homework, lack of classwork, lack of coursework. For disregard to school property. For disregard to our uniform. For inappropriate behaviour in school grounds; I.e sexual activities, smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs excetera. You will also be striked for rudeness. But that's only the main ones. Teachers have the ability to strike you whenever they fell appropriate." I'm staring at him in shock and get to my feet when he stands. "I'll see you on monday." He says and gestures for me to leave.

"Thank you, Sir." I mumble and leave.

I carry my introductory bag by my side as I walk along the cleared path to where Peeta and Gerry were. Their backs are to me and they can't have heard me because they don't turn round.

"...should have listened to me and waited, Peet. You went too soon." Gerry said and I stopped walking to listen.

"She came in my room, in a state. I couldn't turn her away!" Peeta responded and Gerry laughed.

"You didn't have to get in bed with her!"

"Technically she got in bed with me." Peeta bent and shovelled some more snow. "She was so broken and upset, it nearly killed me." Peeta mumbled so I only just heard him.

"She rejected you, Peeta. Time to move on." Peeta groaned and Gerry yawned. "Tell you what, it's a friday, let's go out." Gerry said and Peeta laughed.

"Last time you said that I ended up with four rabbits in my room and you were sleeping IN my wardrobe." Peeta laughed.

"Yes but you banged a sexy blonde." I swallowed. "We all know you love a good ol' blonde bang, Peet." I didn't want to hear anymore so I stamped my feet lightly so they both spun round.

"Katniss!" Peeta said shocked and glared at Gerry. "How long were you there?"

"Discreet, Peeta. Twat." Gerry thumped his head and shovelled some snow.

"I just got here, you have a freakin' strict school." I say, acting normal.

"Haha, you heard the strike rule then?" Peeta laughed and I nodded.

"How many have you guys got?" I ask as the shovel snow.

"I'm on seven now, right, Peeta?" Gerry asks and Peeta shrugs.

"Woah, what for?" I ask.

"Drinking, tardiness, sexual activities, disregard for school property, rudeness, lack off classwork and lack of homework." Gerry reeled off a I gaped at him.

"You're only missing smoking and lack of coursework." I tell him and he shakes his head.

"Smoking is for idiots who want to die and if you don't do coursework you don't get good grades." Gerry said, he had it worked out. "Peeta's got four." Gerry ratted him out Peeta punched him in the arm.

"What for?" I ask and Peeta straightens up and looks at me before hunching to shovel more snow. He's sweating now.

"Sexual activities." Gerry smirks and I frown.

"That's only one?" I say stupidly and Gerry laughs.

"Peeta's a very busy and very horny young boy." Gerry laughs loudly and Peeta pushed him so he falls into the snow. "They asked if he needed counselling for it." Gerry was almost rolling in the snow with laughter.

"That was what, two years ago?" Peeta mumbled and Gerry sat up.

"Exactly! You were fifteen and got caught shagging Delly twice, getting sucked off and with your fingers up her!" Gerry laughed again and Peeta shovelled snow onto his face making Gerry cough in shock.

"Well his sexual activity was masturbating in Mr Burn's office while sitting in his chair reading Animal Farm!" Peeta rounded on Gerry who just laughed and spat out snow. "Ready to go shopping?" Peeta asked me and Gerry laughed again.

"You sound like a chick!" Gerry exclaimed and I smirked. "Doesn't he!"

"Slightly." I say and Peeta scowls at me and starts to walk back to the car, I follow him and Gerry trots next to him.

"Can I come?" Gerry asks and Peeta laughs.

"Why?" Peeta asks as he pops the boot of his car.

"It's Patrick and Elijah's third birthday." Peeta unlocks the car and Gerry pulls the passenger seat forward and climbs in the back then waits for Peeta and I to get in too. "So of course, mom and dad are doing a giant lunchtime meal with the president." Gerry says and I smile, thinking he's joking.

"He's going again this year? Do the twins even know who he is?" Peeta asks and I stare at him in shock.

"Yeah and no! Mom just makes them say 'hello Mr Obama' and then they toddle off in their tuxedos." Gerry says sourly and Peeta looks at my shocked face.

It's as if he can sense I'm thinking that this is such a different world from mine because his hand slips onto my knee and I look down at it.

"Gerry's family are one of the richest families in the world." I don't even know if that's a joke or the truth. When Peeta squeezes my knee and I push his gloved hand away and he quickly looks across at me before focusing on the road. "Melissa and dad produced a list of what you should get for you and Prim. There's a grand in the glove compartment but, if you need more I've got my card. The list's with the money." I pull open the glove compartment and gasp at all the money.

"You should see how much is in my compartment." Gerry says from the backseat and spin to look at him.

"That's gross!" I yell and Gerry smirks at me.

"I was talking about the glove compartment in my car but, you're more than welcome to have a look in my other compartment." Gerry is smirking because he's trying to annoy me.

"I'll have a look in your compartment if you go deep into my compartment." I say seductively and Gerry's jaw drops open.

"Okay. Stop imagining having sex with each other in my car." Peeta speaks up as he parks the car in a multi storey.

"Just to clarify, we can't imagine having sex in the car or we can't imagine sex while we are sat in your car?" Gerry asks as we all climb out.

"No sex in my car. Ever. Whether it's in your minds or in the backseat." Peeta says seriously and locks the car.

"What about in the front seat?" I ask mischievously and he glares at me while Gerry high fives me.

"No sex in my car. Ever. I don't care who or where or why or when or how but sex does not happen in my car." Peeta says roughly and I quickly link my fingers into Gerry's as he kisses my hair.

"What about sweet, musical love making?" Gerry asks and Peeta clenches his jaw. Gerry and I swing our arms together as we walk just to annoy Peeta and have a laugh.

"No sexual intercourse or any touching hidden parts of another persons body." Peeta says with a tiny smile. We step into the elevator, joining an elderly lady who Peeta smiles politely at. She grins at mine and Gerry's linked hands.

"If we're naked it's not hidden?" I say and Peeta breathes out loudly. The elevator pings open and Gerry almost runs out to go into a computer game shop. Peeta and I walk out slowly.

"What are you doing?" Peeta asks me angrily and I look up at him.

"I'm having a laugh, Peeta." I say back and his eyes dart around my face.

"So first you fuck Finnick now you're gonna fuck Gerry?" Peeta says loudly at me and I step backwards. Just then Gerry walks out and is about to put his arm round me when I push his arm away. I stare up into Peeta's eyes.

"Woah, what's going on? I can't tell if you're about to jump each other's bone or strangle each other." Gerry mutters and I look at him.

"Shampoo." I say and walk off. Peeta and Gerry follow me, I can hear Gerry speaking quickly and then Peeta.

"Just fucking leave it Gerry." Peeta says very loudly and I blink back tears.

He still doesn't forgive me for Finnick.

"Which one?" I ask Peeta and Gerry and they look up from the floor. I'm holding up a red and a blue dress. The list said I had to get fancy dresses for events.

"Red." Peeta says quickly and look back to the floor.

"Blue." Gerry says awkwardly and I hook the red back on the rack and go to pay for the blue. "Woo you got blue." Gerry says when he sees the dress in the bag. Peeta and Gerry stand up and we walk out the shop.

"The red dress reminded me too much of some shitty memories during the summer." I say harshly and Peeta stops walking.

"I need a drink." He mutters and Gerry looks around.

"There's a coffee shop over there." Gerry starts walking to it but Peeta grabs his arm.

"No, a beer. Or vodka." Peeta says and Gerry nods. "You carry on shopping, Katniss. Call me when you're finished." Peeta chucks me his car keys and walks off with Gerry hot on his heels.

Great, so now I'm on my own in a mall that I don't bloody know!

I'm sipping my coffee when my phone rings, shocking me. Its been five hours and I've spent less than a third of the money and have everything I need for Prim and I.

"Hello?" I answer my phone to the unknown number and then pull the phone away from my ear as a shrill rock song almost breaks my eardrums.

"Kanish!" Comes the slurring, shouting voice.

"Peeta?" I exclaim and there's a smash and giggling.

"Ish jewwy. I'm been pick up shoon so you should get Pitta."

"Okay, where are you?" I ask, collecting my bags and heading through the convenient doors to the car park.

"I donno. Where were we Peet?" Gerry says and there's an aroused groan from Peeta. "Hish beezy." Gerry says quickly and I pile my bags into the boot of Peeta's car.

"Ask a bar man." I reply as I slip into the drivers seat.

"He shays its the red ryan, no, red lion, jush by der rund butt." Gerry slurs and I reverse Peeta's car out.

"Okay, are you going now?" I ask, the phone now on loud speaker in one of my hands that is on the wheel.

"Yesh, Looshy gettin me now I see you run kay bye!" Gerry says quickly and hangs up, I slip the phone in my pocket as I slide the parking ticket into the machine and it let's me leave.

The red lion is a dingy pub on one of the corners of the round about. The windows are boarded up and the only way you would know it's open is the ear breaking screech of metal music.

Inside is no better, it is all college students staggering around and bumping into each other then smirking at the other and making out before moving on. I quickly see Peeta sat precariously on a bar stool with his hand on a blonde girls knee.

"...jush come home wiv me! It willaby fun!" I hear Peeta slur as I stand behind him. The blonde girl rolls her eyes and stands up abruptly making Peeta shoot forward and I grab his shoulders before he face plants. "Katnish!" He shouts when he sees me and pulls me into his arms. He reeks of alcohol and his hug is too tight, I prise myself out of his arms.

"Come on, I'm driving you home." I say as I pick up his phone from the counter.

"Nobe! Shtaying left here! No, right here, right here!" Peeta slurs and mixes up his words before taking a shot that I'm not quick enough to take from him. "I'm not getten in a car until I've had fourw morew shotsh!" Peeta says triumphantly and shoves me back into a stool by pushing my stomach. "Woah ish dat a shix pack Katnish?" He slurs and I look around at everyone in the bar.

"Uhh yeah, I run a lot and work out I guess. I used to." I say distractedly when I see Finnick walk into pub smirking, it's as if every girl in the room senses him because they're all on him.

"Mmmmm nishe. Finn! Baby!" Peeta yells and Finnick heads over with a small smile on his face when he sees me.

"Hiya stranger!" Finnick says happily and pulls me into a tight but comfortable hug. "God, I've missed you! You stopped returning my calls!" Finnick says a little hurt and I bite my lip and pull away.

"I was working when you'd call and I couldn't really pay to phone you all the time. Sorry." I mutter and then grimace when Peeta downs two shots in a row. "Did he call you?" I ask and Finnick nods.

"He rang to tell me that he loved me and that he thinks I'm near to a break through with Annie and then said that he felt horrible and needed help because Gerry was leaving. Apparently Gerry rang you?" He asks and I confirm with a hug, I'm about to pull Peeta to standing when Finnick orders a coke.

"What are you doing? We have to get Peeta home!" I say shocked and Finnick smiles.

"Kat, I don't mean this harshly but I know Peet. A) there's no way in hell we're going to get him out until he wants to go. B) I'm thirsty. C) if he goes home now he's going to be hungover like hell, if he downs some more, he'll vomit it all up and get most out of his system." Finnick sips the coke and I watch a girl clamber onto a table and start screaming some song about someone not knowing they're beautiful. "I wish he'd stop doing this though." Finnick mutters and I look up at him. "He drinks himself into oblivion because of his fucking mother." Finnick says angrily and Peeta grins.

"His mother fucking ac-chewly. Wait, not his mother. Your mother worksh in a wibwawy." Peeta battles himsef in the head then shakes it and slams his head on the counter. "I'm shtill finking sho I'm not dwunk enough!" The bar tender slides two shots to him which he shoots down then thumbs up me. "Home?" Peeta asks and Finnick glugs his coke.

"If I help him into the car can I leave? It's shitty of me but it's Annie's birthday." Finnick smiles sheepishly and I grin at him as he hauls Peeta up and half drags him out of the pub.

"I wike Annie. She doesn't fuck wiv no onesh head." Peeta mumbles as I unlock the car. "Girlsh do that. One shecond they want you the next..." Peeta waves his arms like a drunk lunatic and Finnick bundles him in the car, then lifts Peeta's legs in.

"Sorry, Katniss, but I'm not going to put his belt on for him. I'll see you on monday in school I guess? Looking forward to see you in a tie." Finnick flirts then strides to his 4X4 and pulls himself in.

"You're so drunk." I tell Peeta when I lean over him to buckle his belt.

"You're shoo facking shexy." Peeta moans and I gulp as his hand slips into my back jeans pocket. "I wanna shcrew you sho facking bad." Peeta's hand is pulled away when I back out from him and close his door then climb in the drivers side. "I fink of you when I jack orff. You grinding your hipsh into me. Ah man." Peeta moans and leans his head into the head rest.

"You're going to regret all of this when you're sober." I tell him when he fumbles for the stereo.

"I'm an alky Kat. You know that? I go to a gwoop to talk about booze. It dushnt work though." Peeta mumbles and I glance at him as I stop at the traffic lights.

"Why doesn't it work?" I ask subconsciously.

"No reeshon to. I'm not that bad. Dad jusht finksh I am becaushe he found drink in my dresher." Peeta mumbles with his head pressed to the window.

"So find a reason to and quit." I mutter and he mutters directions as I follow them.

"Just wait, Peeta!" I say in a hushed command as he goes to stand up out of the car. It's too late because as soon as he stands up he hunches over and vomits. "Oh crap!" I say and rush to him. He's clutching the car and puking on his converse. I know I can't do anything until he stops so I rub his back with the occasional pat.

"I feel like shhhhhhhit." Peeta groans when the puking subsides.

"Uh huh, you look pretty bad too." I tell him and he tries to shove but ends up pushing us both to the ground, him ontop of me, his right leg between mine and his erection pressing into my hip. Another annoying side effect to drink is hard ons.

"Shorry." Peeta whispers as he looks at me. Our eyes lock and I blink.

"You reek." I whisper and his face breaks into a smile before he rolls onto his back and I stand up.

"I wanna shtay like thish." Peeta sighs and I look at him. He's looking up at the stars.

"Stay there, I want to take a picture." I say quietly and Peeta argues and pulls himself to stand, I wrap my arm around waist as he leans on me and we slowly walk inside. "Be quiet, Peeta! You're gonna wake someone up!" I say in a hushed voice.

"Nobe ish cool." He replies and we stop at the bottom of the stairs, I'm considering how to get him up the stairs when Peeta's face buries into my neck. His body is crumpled over, one hand across my body linking his other hand that is across the back of my neck and his head is pressed against the side of mine. "I'm shorry I laft you." He mutters and I swallow.

"Let's not talk about this." I whisper and we start to going up the stairs one at a time.

Before going into his room I took him to the bathroom and sat him on the closed toilet lid. I got a hand towel and damped it with warm water then wiped Peeta's face slowly with it, his eyes fluttering closed. Then I tug the waistband of his jumper and t-shirt until he lazily lifts his arms up and I pull the both off, revealing his lovely body. I use the cloth to wipe his body and down his arms, removing the smell of drunk sweat.

"Ish like I'm your bebby." He smirks and I smile at him even though his eyes are closed. I crouched down and tug off his vomit covered conferse and put them straight in the bathroom hamper followed by his socks that are coated in sick too. Peeta leans backwards against the back of the toilet so I get a better angle to undo his jeans and pull down the zipper.

"Stand up, Peeta." I say quietly and he holds my shoulders as I pull him up. He sways precariously as I push his jeans down, his erection springing free making Peeta sigh and making me bite my lip. I sit him back down on the toilet and pull his jeans off before collecting all his clothes and putting them in the laundry hamper. "Come on then." I say softly and he nods and leans on me as I walk him to his room.

"Shtay with me?" He asks and considers it. There was a girl in the block of flats where we used to live that drank so much and she fell asleep and choked on her own bile and died.

"Okay." I say quickly. Peeta can't die. I know the idea is irrational but I can't let it happen. I sit him down on his bed and he closes his eyes while I open his bedside drawers looking for some asprin or something. In the top one I find some reading glasses that make me grin and a couple of books, the next drawer has an open box of size large condoms, a bottle of lube and a selection of dirty magazines. Peeta giggles when he sees me looking and I close the drawer quickly. In the last drawer I found some asprin and a bottle of water, I pass both to Peeta who swallows the pills then drinks a lot of water before he collapses back in his bed.

"Thanksh Katnish." Peeta murmurs as I slip off my shoes and climb across Peeta. I roll him on his side then press myself to his back with my hand over his side on his chest so he doesn't roll to his back.


	6. Chapter 6: Love Fort

_**Chapter Six: Love Fort.**_

When I wake up I don't move because I can tell Peeta's awake. He's using his fingertips to slowly run along my hand and arm. I'm still behind him he's facing away from me so I try to keep my breathing even. Peeta takes my hand in his and gently squeezes then clears his throat.

"You're still bad at pretending to be asleep." Peeta says and I smile. I try to take my hand away but as soon as I do he turns to face me, his head propped up on his bent arm. "Thank you for last night. It was really stupid of me." His right hand is stroking my face and I can't speak. "Do you even have a driver's license?" He asks and I grin, he smiles back but I can see worry in his eyes.

"I know how to drive." I assure him and he nods. We spend a long time just staring at each other before there's a knock on Peeta's door and the sound of the handle being pushed down. I panic but Peeta just rolls slightly, his right leg pressing between mine and he start to nuzzle my neck. I'm completely blocked from the door. "Busy." Peeta mumbles and there's a grunt.

"Dad wants us to go for a walk," Rye says in that boring voice. "Don't bring whatever slag you picked up." The door closes again but Peeta continues to nuzzle my neck.

"Peeta." I say breathily when his nips at my collarbone. He moans when I say his name and my hands run through his hair. "Oh god." I moan when Peeta push his knee up into my core.

"Mmmm." Peeta responds and kisses up my neck and along my jaw line to my lips where he stops and catches my eyes. I pull his mouth to mine by pulling the back of his head and we kiss quickly before I push him away.

"You taste like sick, Peeta." I giggle and he blushes and gets off the bed to stand up.

"Sorry." Peeta mutters and I stand up and stoop to get my shoes.

"I'm going to jump in the shower." I tell Peeta as I reach his door and look back at him. His hands are on the top of his chest of drawers and he's pushing his weight into it.

"Wait," he mumbles and strides over to me, putting his hand flat on the door so I can't open it. "If I hadn't, you know, tasted of vomit." Peeta says and looks down at me. "What would have happened?" His voice is vulnerable and raw and it made my heart pound. I don't know how to answer him so instead of speaking I reach up and kiss his jaw line and his eyes close. I gently pull his hand off the door and poke my head out before trotting into the bathroom.

I'm drying my hair when I hear my name so shut off the hair dryer and listen for a second.

"Katniss?" I hear Evan's voice so I tell him to come in. He opens the door and smiles shyly. "Can I come in?" He asks and I smile at him.

"I said come in, which means..." I use my hand to indicate for him to finish.

"For me to come in?" He says with a small smile and then hesitantly steps in. "I was just going to ask if you wanted pancakes or waffles for breakfast." He says quietly and I brush my hair.

"Oh, I don't eat breakfast." I tell him and see Peeta poke his head in my door, he's just got out the shower so he's only in a towel and his hair is slicked back with water.

"You do while you live here." Peeta informs me with a smile and then walks into his room.

"Dad doesn't let anyone leave the table until they've eaten something for breakfast." Evan explains and I groan. " Breakfast is the best meal in the day for a baker, fresh bread, pancakes, waffles, French toast. You name it, dad will make it." Evan says, admiration in his eyes.

"Do you bake?" I ask as I braid my hair and step out of my room with Evan on my right. Peeta steps out at the same time wearing dark jeans and a long sleeved white top with the lettering of 'Panem Cross Country' on the left side of his chest.

"Evan can't bake to save his life." Peeta grinned at his brother and Evan reached behind me and playfully punched Peeta.

"It's true. Rye and I are useless, Peeta's the golden boy." Evan explains and Peeta scoffs.

"Far from it big brother. I just know how to make a cake. Dad doesn't have favourites." Peeta assures Evan, and Evan goes down the stairs first.

"He wants to show you and Primrose the boat house." Evan directs at me but I'm distracted when Peeta's hand slips into mine and squeezes briefly before letting go and moving down the stairs quicker.

"It's Prim!" Prim yells as she runs past the bottom of the stairs with a basket of berries. I stifle a laugh because she looks so funny, carrying the basket. I'm walking down the stairs slowly so when I reach the bottom the others are already in the kitchen. I see Max trot slowly down the hallway to me and I crouch and call his name with a clap, he speeds up and bounds until he reaches me then collapses to the floor on his back so I rub his belly.

"He likes you." I turn my head and see Peeta walking out of the kitchen with a glass of orange juice. I smiles at him and turn back to Max and rub his belly harder. "Am I allowed to be jealous of a dog?" Peeta says quietly and I look up at him as he drinks.

"You want me to tickle your belly?" I ask mockingly and he smiles wildly while he drinks.

"I wouldn't turn it down." He says as I stand back up, I move over to him and slip my hand up his top, watching the kitchen door so no one comes out. I run my fingers in and out of the hard ridges of his stomach and love the way his muscles tense harder and shudder at my touch.

"Happy?" I ask as remove my hand and we wander into the kitchen with Max between us.

"Hmph." Peeta replies as he tosses a pancake onto his plate.

"Right, what do you want, Katniss? Waffles or pancakes? I can make you something else if you want, dear?" Ben asks instantly and glance at the food on the table.

"Um, I'll just have some fruit." I try to get away with but Ben shakes his head.

"Nope, you have to have something good and filling." Ben says and passes me a plate before turning back to Rye, Evan, Prim and Melissa who are sat at the kitchen table. Every one is engrossed in what Ben is doing or saying so don't notice when Peeta puts a half eaten pancake on my plate. To anyone else it would be weird and creepy, but to me it makes me beam because I don't have to eat so much in the morning and also Peeta thought about me.

I turn to Peeta and raise my eyebrows at his plate. He has three waffles and four pancakes and a mound of fruit, he sees me looking and shrugs.

"I'm a growing boy." He mutters and then rolls his eyes when I glass down between his legs. "That was very crude, Katniss." He mutters quietly as I stand next to him and spoon some berries ontop of my pancake.

"Yeah, well. I hope you've brushed your teeth before you gave me this half eaten pancake." I smile at him and he smiles back at me. In this moment I just want to kiss him wildly and not care about everyone else, but of course, I can't. So instead I just turn away and take a seat at the table. Peeta sits next to me.

"We're going to see the boat house and the barn today, Katniss!" Prim tells me across the table.

"Don't talk with your mouthfull." I reprimand Prim and she nods. "Sounds exciting, how long have they been on the property?" I ask Ben who grins and starts to explain their history. I'm not listening though because I'm too busy wrapping my legs around Peeta's under the table.

"...years ago." Ben concludes and I nod and chew through my breakfast, listening intently to the various conversations.

Rye is telling Melissa about how he intends on proposing to his long term girlfriend of six years but is worried about her answer because she has a three year old daughter - who isn't his...

Ben and Evan are discussing Evan's new book and Evan tells Ben how he has ordered copies for me to read which I nod enthusiastically to. Then turn to listen to Peeta and Prim.

"Well, you'll be in the same school, won't you?" Peeta asks and Prim nods.

"Yes but, what if he's met another girl who's prettier and smarter than me?" Prim asks and Peeta almost throws his fork down.

"Prim, that's impossible. Rory won't ever find someone prettier or smarter than you because he loves you. He told me. Love doesn't just go away." Peeta is talking quietly so no one else can hear. "I'll drive you to see him if you'd like? Or you can just ring him after our walk?" Prim nods eagerly and I squeeze Peeta's knee under the table in a thank you. He clasps my hand and we stay like this until Ben stands up abruptly.

"Right! Shoes on! Max's lead! Coats or jackets or jumpers and let's go!"

I had made the wrong decision of wearing only a t-shirt and jumper because now I was freezing and shaking. Prim had started to complain about numb feet so Evan had picked her up in a piggy back and carried her while they talked about art.

"Are you cold?" I turn abruptly to Rye and feel shocked he noticed.

"Uh, no I'm fine." I tell him but he's already shrugging his fleece off his body and passing it to me.

"Here, I'm not cold." He says in that ridiculous tone.

"Um, thank you." I politely pull the fleece on and am instantly warmer and I note that Rye's smell is entirely different to Peeta's. When I glance across at Peeta, his hands are stuffed in his jacket pockets and he's staring at Rye's fleece. He looks down at the snow and nods at something Ben has said.

"So, what subjects are you doing in school now?" Rye asks and I take a deep breath.

"English literature, english language, german, physics, chemistry, biology, physical education, photography, art and history. That's what it says on my time table." I say and Rye nods.

"Yes, very good. I did photography of course and the class was very educational." I zone out of what Rye is talking about because his voice is so ridiculously easy to ignore but I come back when Rye is looking at me expectantly.

"Oh, yes." I say awkwardly, no idea of what he said.

"Well you see, she cheated on me a few years ago and has a little girl called Sophie now. I think the most sensible thing to do is propose." Rye says and I look at him.

"Do you love her?" I ask and he laughs.

"Love is for people lacking in confidence who need to know they are good for something. I don't believe in love."

"Love isn't god. You can't not believe in it." I say roughly and my eyes flick to Peeta who is making a snowball.

"So you believe you've loved someone? Who?" I blush. "That Gale guy." My heart feels like it has just stabbed itself and I suddenly find it difficult to breath. "You never loved him. He was a low life idiot who was usuing you and your sister. He would start fights with anyone and everyone." Rye told me, amused and I clenched my fists.

"You didn't know him." I snarl and Rye laughs.

"I've read his file. How many broken noses has he had? And broken hands. He was an idiot. He wasn't doing anything good in this world and deserved to be killed." Rye said and I snapped and pushed him over.

"You didn't know him!" I screamed and everyone turned suddenly. Rye looked horrified, sunk in the snow and I just wanted to punch him so much. But my body was going crazy. One second I was screaming and angry the next I could barely speak and was sobbing. "You didn't know him." I sobbed and I saw someone move towards me but I was sent into flight mode and started running.

The snow made it hard to run but I knew that in snow you had to keep your knees higher than usual and that's what I did and soon I couldn't hear my name being called any more.

By the time I had run out of breath I was in a wood and I had no idea where I was. I went in one direction but the wood just kept going and I started to panic. I was so lost and exhausted that I just sunk down against a tree, huddled into a bowl and cried softly. Gale was gone. I still missed him and I still don't know if I really loved him. Rye didn't know Gale at all so how dare he talk about him like that.

I could feel sleep rising on me and I caved in, knowing the danger of falling asleep in the snow.

When I woke up, my eyes wouldn't open and I couldn't move. I was freezing cold but had a strange sense of heat on me and I felt like I was moving without moving.

"Jesus christ, Katniss." Peeta's voice made me whimper, I was coming to my senses now and I could feel his strong arms wrapped around me and I could hear his heart thudding in rhythm to his steady footsteps. "Oh god. You're so damn stubborn." I ripped my eyes open then had to close them almost instantly when large flakes of snow fell into my eyes and made them water.

"Peeta?" I croaked he stopped walking.

"I've got you. We're in a bloody blizzard Katniss, just close your eyes." I keep my eyes closed and he started walking again, I can feel the snow hitting me now and I reach and clutch Peeta's jacket weakly.

"Are nearly home?" I whimper and Peeta groans.

"No where near. We're going to the barn, it's closer. A lot bloody closer." At that I hear a doork creaking open and an earthy smell hits my nose. "Damn door." Peeta grumbles and the door swings closed. I feel Peeta collaps backwards and his arms loosen their grip on me but still hold me close.

When I pull my eyelids open, Peeta is laying back in straw, his eyes closed and his face red, there is snow all over him and I weakly brush it off.

"Sorry." I shiver the words out and Peeta looks down at me.

"I was so scared, Katniss. You were missing practically all of the day. Don't do that to me again, please." I nod gently and feel Peeta's face press into my neck before I fell asleep again.

"Peeta?" I ask instantly when I wake up in a pile of hay with no Peeta. There's a fire burning a few meters away in a pile of rocks, all the hay far away from it. "Peeta?" I call again and sit up. "Peeta!" I shout frantically and Peeta's blonde hair pops out from a small hole in a huge mound of hay bales.

"Did you call me?" He asks and crawls out.

"What were you doing?" I ask as he lies down and brushes hay off himself.

"I made a fort." He says with a smile. I run a finger down his cheek and he tucks some hair behind my ear.

"Can I come in?" I ask and he pouts.

"No girls allowed. Girls are icky." He says and I start laughing.

"Not even for a kiss?" I ask with a smile and Peeta shaked his head.

"Nope. Kisses are for babies." His voice actually sound like a nine year old boys and I'm trying so hard not to laugh.

"What if I show you how to make a chair?" Nine year old Peeta considers this then sits up.

"Fine, but you can't give me kooties." He says and I burst out laughing while he stamps the fire out in case it catches on some of the hay. I crawl into his fort behind him, loving the view of his backside and then look around amazed. "You like it?" Peeta asks, back to his normal self.

"I do. It's so warm." I say and Peeta agrees.

"You can take Rye's jacket off then." Peeta says and I do as he said and smile at him. "I was going to give you my jacket." He says quietly and I crawl over to where he is sat.

"I'd prefer yours." I assure him and he smiles and shrugs his leather jacket it off and passes it to me, I lay it down then rest my head in it when I lay down on my side. Peeta joins me and we look at each other for a long time. "You smell different to Rye." I tell Peeta as he slips one of his legs between mine and I hook my leg over his. "He smells like developer for photographs."

"How do I smell then?" Peeta asks, running his hand up and down my arm.

"Like cinnamon and spray." I say quietly and he leans his head to mine.

"You smell like flowers and woods." He tells me and I press my lips to his. We kiss briefly and pull away then kiss deeply, I slide my tongue along his bottom lip and he grants me access before our tongues start to dance against eachother.

I feel Peeta start to roll me back so he is straddling my right leg, keeping his body off mine by his elbows. I let my hands roam up his white long sleeve top and run my hands over his back. He sits up abruptly and pulls the back of his top so it comes off and he tosses it to the side. I sit up in front of him and run my hands over his chest and stomach, his head rolls back then pulls my jumper and t-shirt off together.

I fall backwards and Peeta studies my body for a while. Then he leans forward, his left hand next to my hand as his right hand moves over the ridges of my six pack.

"I don't know if I like this." He mutters and I look up at him. "I have to put myself through pain to get my abs so you must have to aswell. I don't want you to be in pain." His right hand travels up to my breast now and slips his hand in the bottom of the cup and gently caresses my breast, I let out a deep moan and Peeta bends to kiss my neck. "You're bigger." He whispers and I swallow. I arch my back as his hand moves around to unclasp my bra then he pulls it down my arms slowly. "You're so beautiful." Peeta murmurs, running his hand over the bruises on my breasts gently. I reach out and unbuckle his belt while Peeta bends over and kisses my bruises, my hands stop working when he takes one of my nipples in his mouth and starts to suck gently.

"Ah, Peeta." I moan he pushes his hips down between mine, his bulge hitting my core perfectly. "Ah!" I cry out and reach my hands down to undo his button and slowly drag his zipper down. Peeta moves to my other nipple and I fist his hair as he sucks, I bend my knees up and hook my feet into Peeta's waistband and push so his jeans bunch at his ankles.

"Oh god, I want you." Peeta murmurs before he crushes his lips to mine and unbuttons my jeans and then splits his mouth from mine to sit back on his ankles and pull down my jeans. He pulls his own jeans off his feet and tosses both our jeans to the side before lifting my right foot to his mouth, he kisses to my ankle then runs his tongue up to the inside of my knee where my torso starts to writhe in agony, Peeta uses his spare hand to keep me still.

"Peeta, I-I ju-just want you." I stutter out and Peeta continues to kiss down my thigh. I don't want any foreplay I just want him inside me. "Peeta, p-please, just make love to me." It's as if my words stop him, he keeps his eyes on mine as he lowers my leg and moves back up my body.

"Say it again." Peeta whispers and I lick my lips.

"Make love to me, Peeta." I whisper he watches my face intently as he presses the head of his erection to my opening.

"You're on the pill, right? It said in your file?" Peeta asks and I nod, he continues to watch me as he slowly slides his erection into me. My head rolls backwards and I cry out loudly. "Are you okay?" He asks quickly but, I can't respond. He's so much bigger. So much. "Katniss?" Peeta says urgently and I can only manage a nod. "I'll be gentle?" I nod again and he slowly pulls out then pushes back in slowly, it's as if every time his erection fills me, the air in my lungs is pushed out. "I'm afraid I'm going to be a minute man, Katniss." Peeta moans as he kisses my neck and fills me over and over. "Come with me." He reaches down and presses his thumb to my clit and I explode in an orgasmic thunder of fireworks. I force my eyes open to see Peeta's perfect face when his jaw falls slack and his eyes rolls so I can only see the fluttering of whites. I feel his ejaculation filling me and his laboured breathing filling my ears.

Peeta leans his head down and buries his face in my hair and falls asleep instantly, his erection still buried inside me. I stroke his hair and think about what we've just done.

Prim could pay for this. Prim could pay for how weak I am. But what if they never find out. Surely there's a reason I could barely last a matter of days before caving. There's not a millimeter of me that feels regret right now and I'm naked under Peeta's naked body in a fort of hay in a barn in the early hours of the morning.


	7. Chapter 7: Meeting the demons

_****_**A/N: Well all I can say is sorry, I don't even know how long it's been since my last upload but, I've basically been so swamped with everything that I haven't actually had time to sit down until now :P So i got a pretty harsh review saying my Fanfic was too far fetch to be believable and well sorry but, this is a fanfic... and The Hunger Games trilogy is about kids getting put in an arena to be killed... I think that if you're annoyed about how far fetched my Fanfic you might as well just stop reading now because it's going to get crazy soon...**

**Also I've been reading over my writings and I've realised it's kind of crazy grammar and spelling wise. I just wanted to clear up that my Dad is American and my Mum is English, I live in England but, I kind of mix up the phrases I use so sometimes it's 'mom' and sometimes it'****s 'mum'. So sorry!**

_**Chapter Seven: Meeting the demons.**_

"I just figured that there's no point in being late and getting a strike and being kicked out of school when I could just get up five minutes earlier than usual." Finnick explained to Peeta while I helped Peeta cook dinner by chopping carrots.

"Well done Finn, you just learnt something that normal people learn when they're six years old." Peeta replied with a grin and passed me another peeled carrot, his fingers brushing against mine.

"Saw that." Finnick said quickly and I continued chopping.

"I passed Katniss a carrot? Congrats, mate." Peeta said sarcastically and Finnick threw a piece of popcorn at Peeta's head.

"No, you passed her a carrot with your hand 3/4 of the the way down it so when she took the carrot she would touch your hand. So I'm guessing you shagged?" I blushed and looked away and Peeta tensed up. "So, how was it?" Finnick asked and I put the saucepan of chopped carrots on the hob.

"Leave it, Finnick." Peeta said tightly and Finnick shook his head.

"Not until you tell me why you aren't all happy and smiley." Finnick says chewing on pop corn.

"We did it and now it's a dirty little secret that no one can know about. Happy?" Peeta said and I swallow.

**"Morning, beautiful." Peeta murmured when he woke up and kissed my forehead. "Did you sleep well?" I nodded and he instantly knelt up. "What? What's going on?" He asked and I shrugged. "Don't shut me out. Don't do that. What's happening?" He asked again.**

**"It shouldn't have happened, Peeta." I told him quietly and he pulled his boxers on awkwardly because he couldn't stand up. "We can't do it again." Peeta grabbed his clothes and crawled out of the hole, I quickly followed him. He looked upset when I reached him and I automatically put my hand on his arm but he pushed my hand away.**

**"Stop it! Stop messing me around for God sake! It's like I'm dealing with a snake! One second you're fine the next you're biting me!" Peeta had shouted angrily and I had blanched.**

**"Peeta, I'm sorry! But, it was wrong!" I said, trying to convince myself as well as him.**

**"I have three questions, Katniss." I nodded as he pulled his t-shirt over his head. "You have to answer truthfully." I nodded again as he pulled up his jeans. Peeta turned and looked me in the eyes. "Did it feel wrong when I was inside you?" He asked me bluntly.**

**"No." I replied quietly.**

**"Did it feel wrong afterwards when I was sleeping on you?" His tone had softened now.**

**"No." I replied again.**

**"So you're doing this so Prim doesn't get hurt?" Peeta said and moved towards me.**

**"Yes." I said and he kissed my forehead.**

**"Prim is always going to be in danger of something or someone. You need to stop being her mother." **

**"I don't know how not to be her Mother anymore." I said and Peeta wrapped his arms round me.**

**"Be with her how you are with me." He said into my hair.**

**"What? Naked, horny, blushing and moaning?" I asked and smiled.**

**"No, yourself. Naked, horny, blushing and moaning is only for me. Okay?" Peeta asked, holding my face and looking into my eyes. "No one else any more okay?"**

**"I'm yours and you're mine." I confirmed.**

"Right okay, but you're sort of together but not together but together without people knowing together?" Finnick muses and I look up at Peeta who shrugs. "So why aren't you in bed right now? I mean, you guys are home alone, I can listen to some loud music, go for it?" Finnick said like it was the most obvious thing in the world and I stuck my tongue at him.

"We aren't doing it while you're in the house, Finn." Peeta told him as he took the potatoes out of the oven and shook the tray so they turned over.

"You should get locks on your rooms." Finnick says as I pull myself up onto the counter and sit comfortable next to where Peeta is carving meat.

"That's not going to be hard to explain at all." Peeta says sarcastically and then is hit over the head by a piece of popcorn. The popcorn gets stuck in Peeta's hair and I flick it out.

"Nah, you can say you don't want Prim or Katniss walking in on you and Katniss can say she doesn't want any of the horny Mellark boys to walk in on her! Sorted!" As Finnick finishes explaining, his phone rings and he takes it out of his jumper pocket and answers while walking out of the kitchen.

"Lock would be handy..." I start to say but Peeta looks at me with such blue eyes my voices disappears.

"What?" He asks, a small frown forming between his eyebrows and I reach up and smooth it away with my thumb.

"You're beautiful." I say quietly and he grins.

"That's an odd thing to say to a guy, Kat. Its something I say to you." Peeta says and I roll my eyes.

"Guys can be beautiful and you are!" We gaze at eachother for a second be fore I pull him towards me by hooking my finger into the collar of his polo shirt and pulling him towards me. His lips touch mine gently before a door slams, scaring us apart, I drop to the floor and take a sip of water.

"She is my mother!" I hear Rye yell and Peeta immediately tenses. "I live in this house so I can see her when I want!" Peeta's grip on the carving knife tightens and I brush my fingertips over his knuckle so he loosens the grip slightly.

"This is my house, Rye! You consult me with these damn things! Especially now the girls are here!" Ben roars back and I move closer to Peeta and rest my forehead on his bicep, rubbing his back. Prim walks in and smiles awkwardly at me, unphased by mine and Peeta's contact. "Where the hell are you going!" Ben shouts harshly from somewhere upstairs and then Evan runs into the kitchen out of breath. I step away from Peeta but, I think he saw.

"Evan?" Peeta asks, concerned and puts the knife down and moves towards his brother.

"Peet..." Evan pants and tries to catch his breath.

"Where's my darling boy, then?" A low, feminine voice rings out Peeta steps backwards as his mother appears at the doorway.

She's short, with dark brown hair tied in a bun. Her face was hard with a fake smile forced to her lips. She had a pointy chin and pointy nose and she was skinny. She was just like Rye, or rather he was like her.

"Peetie, sweetie!" She said happily and stepped into the room, Peeta backed up against the breakfast bar and then pressed his lower back into it when he couldn't move back any further. "Give your dear mother a snuggle!" She moved towards him and I was about to step forward and slap her when Prim gripped my wrist. I looked down at her and she shook her head frantically.

"Linda!" Ben bellows and she doesn't take her eyes off Peeta. "Er, Katniss and Primrose. This is the boys mother." Ben said tightly but I couldn't look away from Peeta, he was white as the snow outside, I could only see half his face but that half looked terrified.

"It's lovely to meet you two." Linda said harshly, her eyes blatantly roamed over Peeta and bit the inside of my cheek.

"Perhaps you two could go upstairs?" Ben suggested and Prim pulled me out of the kitchen. As we passed Peeta I could hear his laboured breathing and it took so much self confidence to not wrap my arms around him.

"Katniss, don't be so obvious!" Prim whispered as we crept up the stairs, she pulled me into her room and I started pacing.

"I should be with, Peeta." I say, biting my nails and Prim sits at the foot of her bed.

"He's a big boy. He has to learn to deal with his crazy mother." Prim rolled her eyes and I paced faster.

"You don't understand!" I say and she gestures for me to explain. "I can't tell you Prim! It isn't my business to tell you!" At that moment Melissa calls up that dinner is ready and I literally run out of the room and down the stairs, straight into Evan.

"Katniss, wait. Peeta's not here." Evan says quickly and quietly and I stop trying to push past him.

"Where is he? Is he ok?" I ask frantically and Evan glances around.

"I don't know, he just disappeared. He'll be fine, he knows how to look after himself." Evan replies and smiles sweetly, he knows something is going on between Peeta and I.

"I'm not hungry." I say and Evan chews his lips. "I just want to shower then sleep, okay?" Evan considers this before nodding and leading Prim into the dining room.

Once I've showered, I slip into Peeta's room and sit on the edge of his bed. I take in his room finally. The walls are cream except for the wall where the head of the bed is, that's wall is brown with brick shapes in it so it looks like a brick wall. The bed is huge with brown and cream linen on and the headboard has a sort of shelf on top where Peeta has a couple of books, a pair of glasses and some haphazard condoms. His bedside tables have green lamps on, one of them with a book on and the other an alarm clock. I wander over to his desk and shuffle a few papers. I sit down in his leather swivel chair and run my fingers across his writing. I reach across and pull open one of his drawers in the desk. The first one has a pile of school books and textbooks in, the second an array of envelopes, writing paper and stamps and the third drawer won't open. I move position and when it still won't open I look carefully and notice the keyhole in the top corner of the bottom drawer. I can't help being curious as to what Peeta needs to lock in a drawer.

After an hour and a half I figure it would be awkward if someone walked in and found me lounging in Peeta's room so I cross the hall back into my room.

I walk straight to my desk and tug on the third drawer of my desk, it opens easily and is empty. So Peeta has a custom desk. I tell myself to stop being a creeper lay back on my bed easily, reaching for my reading glasses and 'To Kill A Mockingbird' to read.

I don't know when I fell asleep but when my eyes spring open, I've still got my reading glasses on and the book is on my chest. I look across and see it's eight in the morning therefore, perfect timing for a run.

It doesn't take long before I'm slipping out the back door with my music on and going for a run.

I'm just jogging round the garage on my way back to the house when my music shuts off, the player out of battery so I pull the ear phones out. I nearly crash into a little pink mini and stop myself about to swear when I look up and then crouch quickly.

A blonde girl is walking round the corner of the house and I'm about to stand back up, laughing at myself for being so jumpy but, Peeta appears behind her. My stomach lurches.

He's wearing light grey lounging pyjama bottoms with no shoes and no top. I blink a few times to focus my eyes as the blonde reaches her lips up and kisses Peeta's jaw, just below his ear. His eyes close and she then kisses his mouth.

"You're amazing. Call me?" She says and I stand up quickly. "Jesus!" The blonde exclaims and Peeta's eyes fly open, guilt flooding his face.

"Sorry, I was tying my lace." I say with a smile, still holding my earphones. "Don't mind me." I grin at the blonde and turn away to walk to the back door of the house. My breathing getting faster and my bottom lip starting to tremble.

"Katniss..." Peeta calls quietly and I can hear him walking behind me quickly, I'm about to turn and look at him but I hear the blondes car rev off and I pull the back door open roughly.

"Hello, Katniss." Rye's boring voice stops me from moving. "Is something the matter?" He asks curiously and Peeta closes the back door behind him. "What did you do, Peeta?" Rye asks accusingly and Peeta ignores me and reaches his hand to my forearm, when his fingers tough me it physically burns and I jolt away from him. "Alright, back off Peeta." Rye says.

"Fuck off, Rye." Peeta snaps and Rye coughs.

"She clearly doesn't want to be around you, leave her alone. Come her, Katniss." Rye says in his ridiculous voice.

"No, she's fine. I'll take her to her room." Peeta says roughly and I gulp. Rye walks to me briskly and puts his arm around my shoulders awkwardly and starts leading me away. "What the fuck are you doing!" Peeta shouts suddenly making Rye spin round.

"Don't be so irrational, Peeta!" Rye says and then looks Peeta up and down. "I see your blonde bimbo really brought out her claws." My eyes latch onto the scratches across Peeta's chest and I feel the tears swell in my eyes.

"Motherfucker!" Peeta yells and Rye laughs.

"I know you are but what am I?" Rye taunts and Peeta clenches his fist and swings. If my eyes weren't full of tears, I would have seen Peeta's swinging fist, I would have seen Rye jump back and I would have seen Peeta's fist collide with me. But my eyes were full of tears so I saw none of this.

Instead I just felt the sheer impact of his fist hitting the edge of my nose, my head shaking and then the opposite side of my head hitting the fridge door before I fell backwards.

"Holy shit! Katniss!" I heard Peeta's strangled cry.

"You see what you've done!" Rye shouted and then everything went black.

* * *

"I didn't mean to. It was an accident. Jesus. Shit. Is she ok? Is she hurt?" Peeta says in a rushed, scared tone. I'm aware of the sound of running water.

"Does she look ok?" I hear Ben snap and then a warm cloth dab at the side of my head I flinch away and then moan when my entire head throbs. "Katniss? Sweetie?" I moan in reply.

"Katniss?" Prim's voice forces my eyes open. Or should I say eye because my left eye doesn't seem to want to open. Prim comes into focus first, she's leaning over me with a towel in her hand. "Hiya." She grins and I sigh. Then Ben comes into focus, he's wrapping a bag of ice in a tea towel.

"Here, put this on your eye." Ben says carefully but I don't seem to have the energy to lift my arms so he does it for me. I see Peeta in the corner of the kitchen biting his fingernails and I'm about to smile at him when I see the red marks on his body and remember the blonde girl.

"Is it bad?" I mutter to Prim and she pulls a face.

"Black eye and stitches I think. I'd do the stitches but you won't sit still for goodness sakes." Prim scolds me and I instantly freeze as she starts to dab at the right side of my head, blood appearing on the towel. "Okay now sit still." Prim says quietly as she unwraps a sterile needle.

"I'm sure I should take her to the hospital." Ben mutters, adjusting the ice.

"I can do it just fine." Prim says and then I grip my shorts at the sharp pain. I count four stitches in my hair line so it isn't so bad. "You need to sleep now." Prim said and I moaned in agreement. "You shouldn't walk though." Prim said and she looked at Peeta.

"I'll carry her." Peeta said quickly and everyone ignored my protests. Prim said she'd be up a little later to check on me so it was just Peeta and I as he climbed the stairs with me in his arms. I was trying my hardest not to touch him which was obviously futile. "I'm sorry." Peeta whispers halfway up the stairs. I don't reply and I turn my head away from him. "Please believe me."

"You're only sorry you got caught, Peeta." I whisper as he lays me on my bed.

"That's not true!" Peeta pleads and I close my eyes and turn away from him. "Katniss, please!"

"I'd like you to leave now." I tried to say it with strength but my voice cracked halfway through. "Just go, Peeta!" I said desperately and I heard my door close before I let out a sob.

I was his and he was mine. That's what he said. So what the fuck was he doing. Maybe he was saying that I couldn't be with anyone else but he could. Son of a bitch!

**Peeta's P.O.V**

I held down number three on my phone and then slammed the phone to my ear as I slammed my door shut. The phone rang off so I rang again and again and again before he answered.

"Peeta, I'm kind-ugh busy ugh." Gerry grunted and I struggled to keep my composure.

"I need to talk to someone!" I say quickly and I hear a feminine moan.

"Seriously Peet, fuck that's it, just call Finnick! Ugh! Please!" Gerry pleaded and I clenched my fists.

"I punched Katniss!" I nearly shout and then start to pace.

"Wait a second," Gerry mutters to whoever he's with and the girl calls him a whore before a door slams. "Okay, so by punched I really, really hope you mean some sexual thing?"

"No, I swung at Rye and he moved and I hit her. I hit Katniss." I say quickly and pull on a shirt and jeans.

"Oh, it was an accident? All good, apologise, fuck her, sorted." Gerry says and I hear him start walking around then hear Elijah shout his name. "Hey, buddy!" Gerry says away from the phone.

"I don't think me punching her is the problem here, I mean, obviously it is but..."

"What did you do, Peet?" Gerry cuts me off, I hear his car beep unlock and then he climb in and slam the door.

"She caught me with some girl." I mutter and walk out of my room.

"What like, caught you? Or caught you?" Gerry asked and I pulled on my jacket.

"She was out running and saw me walking Millie back to her car after last night and put two and two together with the scratches over my chest and Millie kissing me." I say as I tug my boots on and leave the house.

"So she didn't actually catch you?"

"She as good as caught me! I just got her and now I've lost her!" I hang up the phone and climb into Gerry's car as he pulls up.

"Where to?" He asks as soon as I open the door.

"Boxing." I say simply and Gerry nods in approval.

* * *

I look up at Gerry and roll my eyes at him. It's just after 3pm and I've given up on gloved boxing and about to go for a bit of bare knuckle fighting which Gerry highly disapproves of.

"This is a bad idea, Peeta. You could get hurt." Gerry says as he sizes up the guy who bet me in the fight.

"That's the idea, Gerry." I mumble and hold out my hand for Gerry to tape up.

"Right, so you're gonna get pummelled because you messed up with Katniss and want to punish yourself?" Gerry wraps the tape round my hands.

"Nice theory. But, nope." I stand up and climb into the ring before leaning back over to Gerry. "I just want to feel something that has nothing to do with, Katniss.". Gerry gives me a look but I'm turned away already so don't see it properly. Mikael is already in the ring and I smile at him.

Mikael is a six foot five, professional bare knuckle fighter with biceps the size of my waist. He's huge and he's relentless and he's going to beat the crap out of me.

"Oi, pretty boy!" Mikael shouts at me and I clench my fists. "I'll try not to break you face!" His group laugh as he turns to face them and grin a huge grin so I lunge forward and punch his side.

He turns and punches me in the shoulder, I raise my arms and block my face as he send out punches to my chest and gut. I lunge out and catch his jaw and he instantly spits out a mouth full of spit tinged red with blood, I punch his collarbone and instantly regret it when I hit pure muscle and bone. Mikael punches straight into my thigh and my leg gives in and I skid along the floor on my bag.

"Why you fight me, pretty boy?" Mikael asks and I stand up, aware of the warm blood dripping down my back.

"Because you're a whore." I reply and then get punched repeatedly in my face before Gerry starts yelling.

"Alright! Stop stop stop! Mikael!" Gerry yells, jumping into the ring between Mikael and I.

"Why he fight me?" Mikael asks and Gerry sighs.

"He cheated on his girlfriend and wants to punish himself for it because she won't." Gerry explains and I roll my eyes as I wipe the blood from my nose. "He's an idiot."

"He is. No cheat on ladies. Bad thing. Bad person." Mikael says in his broken english before walking away.

"I didn't need your help!" I snarled at Gerry.

"Don't push me away Peet. Come on, let's go. I'm starving. Come back to mine yeah?" Gerry asks as he picks up my stuff and I shrug at him. "So was it worth it? Did it hurt?" Gerry asks suddenly.

"Not until you said she was my girlfriend." I mutter and then wince.


	8. Chapter 8: Deal with it

_**A/N: I'M SORRY! My friend spilled coffee on my laptop so it's screwed! I had to use another laptop and I'm not used to the key board! OK basically, i've barely proof read this and i havent got any line breaks! sorry! if it's super spelling bad or you cant work out the time swaps review and i'll try sort it ASAP.**_

_**A couple of people were peeved about Peeta cheating, in this fanfic i make the abuse he went through from his mom have a sort of hijacked effect on him, he doesn't think clearly and when he thinks he isn't going to physically hurt Katniss he doesn't even consider he may be emotionally hurting her! Let me know if ya'll still don't get it!**_

_**I do photograhy so if you want to have some scenes where phtography using old cameras, that i use, such as PENTAX then lemme know!**_

_**keep reviewing because it makes me feel guilty for not uploading and then i upload more! :D **_

**Katniss' P.O.V**

I hadn't slept since I saw Peeta last night. I hadn't really seen him because it was so dark but I saw him limping and heard Evan tell him he was an idiot for bare knuckle fighting. I wondered how bad his face was. Why would Peeta go bare knuckle fighting? Why was he limping?

Those were the thoughts that had been going through my head most of the night until my alarm went off about two minutes ago. I could hear people moving around already but I was still laying in bed.

Eventually, I found the will power to get up and took my uniform out of my wardrobe. The kilt was check black, dark blue and red, the blouse white, the jumper dark blue with a red collar and the blazer dark blue with red trimmings. I held in a laugh when I looked at myself in it in the mirror. My black eye looked pretty bad I've had worse so I hooked my already packed school bag over my shoulder and headed downstairs.

"Evan! Just put the damn thing on it!" I heard Peeta say in an exasperated voice as I walked to the kitchen.

"I don't know how to do it!" Evan replied, sounding like a lost little boy. I walked in and Peet was leaning on a counter facing away with me with no top on but wearing black trousers and a belt and black shoes. Evan was stood behind him holding a dressing to his back.

"Put it on then tie the bandage around me! Come on, Ev!" Peeta groaned and I dropped my bag.

"I got it." I mumbled and walked over. Peeta didn't turn but Evan quickly passed the dressing to me. Peeta has scratches over his back and what looked like concrete burn on his right shoulder blade. It was bleeding a little and weeping a lot. I pressed the square dressing over the wound and Peeta stood up, pulling a cap on low over his face before turning and lifting my eyes so I could tie the bandage together to hold the dressing in place.

When Peeta turned I saw the scratches on his pecs and down his eight pack and swallowed.

"Does your eye hurt?" He asks as I step away from him and fill a glass with orange juice from the fridge.

"No, it's fine. Stop worrying, it was an accident." I say as I turn back to him, he's pulled a white shirt on and is doing the buttons up but I'm just staring at the cuts on his knuckles. "I knew someone that died from bare knuckle fighting." I said quietly and Peeta's hands froze on his buttons. Evan left the kitchen and I put my glass down.

"I was with Gerry. He had my back." Peeta replies and I try to look at his face but it's covered by the cap.

"Apparently he didn't because your back looks like shit." I say to him as Rye wanders in with Prim.

"You should see his face." Rye informs me as Peeta lifts his collar to wrap his tie round his neck. His tie is the same pattern as my kilt.

"What's wrong with his face." I ask and Rye grins, Peeta leaves the room with his jumper and I follow him out. "Peeta." I say as he heads to the downstairs bathroom.

"We'll be leaving for school pretty soon." Peeta mumbles and slides into the bathroom. I hear the lock click and I kick the door gently to show him my irritation.

"Katniss!" Ben's jolly voice rings out from the kitchen. "Come and get some breakfast!" I roll my eyes and stomp into the kitchen, picking up an apple.

"I'll see you later, Katniss!" Prim said excitedly, giving me a hug. "I'm going to see Rory finally!" I hug Prim back while crunching my apple and mumble a 'cya later alligator' before she follows Evan outside.

"Ready?" Peeta asks and I look over at him. His jumper is on now, its the same as my jumper. You can see his white collar and the knot of his tie at the top. I still can't see my face and I internally roll my eyes at him. In his right hand he has his blazer and in his left he is jangling car keys but they aren't the ones for his old car. He has an old looking cream-green kind of bag. Hanging out his left side, the strap across his body on his right shoulder.

"Uh huh." I splutter with the apple.

"I need you to go and check on the bakery after school. See how Jacob's getting on." Ben says to Peeta and Peeta nods before leaving, I grab my discarded bag and move behind him.

"Am I going to actually see your face today?" I ask and Peeta presses a button on his keys, a different garage door opens to reveal a red jeep.

"Hopefully not." Peeta mumbles and throws his bag over the seats into the back, I copy him and we both climb in.

"Why don't you drive your other car to school?" I ask as he starts the engine.

"It's a chevrolet camaro 1969." Peeta informs me as I buckle my seatbelt. "And I'm driving this because we're going to the bakery after and it's not in the best bit of town and I don't want my baby stolen." Peeta explains and I smirk. Then force the smirk away. I hate Peeta right now, remember!

"Fair enough." I say bluntly and Peeta sighs. I stare out of my window because otherwise I'll look at Peeta.

"We have english first." Peeta says and I nod. "Sir will porbably sit you behind me, there's a spare seat." Peeta tells me and I can't help saying it.

"Good, then you can't sleep with someone behind my back." I bite out and Peeta pulls the jeep over into a dip in some hedges. "Was she good, Peeta? Did she rock your world?" My voice is horribly high and Peeta has unbuckled his belt and turned to look at me with his cap low over his face.

"Are you done?" He asks and I shake my head.

"You wouldn't have even told me would you? You thought I'd never know! You were the one that said we only had each other! Or did that rule only apply to me? Are you still petrified I'm going to sneak off and fuck Finnick!" I was panting because I had been shouting.

"Are you done?" Peeta asks again and I nod. Peeta turns my face to his and presses his lips to mine. I moan and frown at the same time as our mouth start to move together naturally. I raise my hand and flick the cap of Peeta's head then pull back and gasp.

"Oh god, Peeta!" I cry out, a hand flying to my mouth. Practically the entire right side of his face is purple with bruises, a black eye only visible, the left side of his face has a green bruise in the shape of someones fist.

"It doesn't hurt." Peeta lies and I smack his shoulder so he looks at me shocked.

"We aren't lying. Don't do that, don't lie to me!" I say to him and he nods, his eyes gazing at my black eye.

"Okay, it fucking hurts. Does yours?" He asks and I nod, in response Peeta scrunches up his eyes and breathes out deeply. "I'm so damn sorry." He mutters and I unclip my seat belt.

"It was an accident. Look at me! I'm okay! I've been hurt worse." I caress his purple cheek with my hand and he raises his hand to hold my hand to his face.

"I was so scared you wouldn't forgive me." Peeta whispers and I nod. "I felt like everything I did was connected to you and if it wasn't I felt nothing so I got in a stupid fight to feel something." Peeta explains quickly, I continue to run my thumb along his bruised eye. "All the punches and I didn't feel anything. Not until Gerry told the guy I had cheated on my girlfriend so he would stop pounding on me." Peeta leant forward and pressed his forehead against mine. "Then it hit me like a tonne of bricks. I hurt everywhere because I was such an idiot!"

"Why did you do it?" I ask quietly and Peeta tenses.

"She makes me so fucking angry and all my emotions practically explode inside me. Its like I have no control of myself at all." I'm about to roll my eyes when Peeta shakes his head. "No, I'm not saying it wasn't me that did it! I went to a club and I drank and then I remembered you saying I needed to find something so I would stop drinking so I stopped. Then I just sat in the corner watching everyone. Watching how guys moved from one girl to the other, how the girls would just latch onto guys. And then a girl latched onto me. She started telling me about her ex, how he was an arse hole and I got angry that her ex was an arse hole and I have no idea. I guess being angry makes me horny because next thing I know we're making out and we're touching. And all I could think about was if I was fucking someone I wasn't fucking my mom." Peeta was out of breath when he finished and I swallowed.

"Why couldn't you come home and fuck me?" I ask quietly and Peeta groaned.

"Because I knew I was going to be rough, I knew my anger would come out in the sex and I didn't want to hurt you. At the time I just didn't acknowledge I was hurting you by not fucking you! I just didn't want to hurt you." Peeta explained before I pressed my lips to his.

"I want you to fuck me." I murmured against his lips and I felt him smirk.

"Now or in the future?" He asked and I ran my hand down his school jumper to his belt and started to undo it.

"Both." I replied and he groaned, our tongues started attacking each other and I could feel Peeta becoming hard, he was straining in the trousers by the time I had pushed them down to free his erection. When my hand wrapped around him he groaned into my mouth. Peeta reached his hands out to my waist and pulled me across the chair so I was straddling him. He ran his hands up my thighs under my kilt and I rolled my hips into his erection. "I feel like we're making some dirty japanese high school porno." I murmured and Peeta grinned into my neck as he nuzzled me.

"I think we are except we aren't filming it." Peeta said and I caught his eye. His beautiful blue eyes widened as I reach over the chairs to his blazer and pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Oh jesus." Peeta whispered as I pressed the screen and started filming, I balanced his phone on the dashboard and turned back to Peeta.

"So." I said and he pulled my face to his roughly, our lips angrily fought each other as I struggled out of my underwear. "This is going to be the most amateur porno in the world." I whispered to Peeta when I finally got my underwear off. He was about to answer me when his erection rubbed against me and instead of words he let out a hungry growl. In a second Peeta had thrust upwards and entered me with such a force I had to press my hands to the roof to stop from slamming into it. "Ohgod!" I cried out as Peeta gripped my arse over my kilt and dragged me down onto him.

"Tell me, mmmph, if I'm too, ah, too rough." Peeta spluttered as I felt him lift us and spin awkwardly, he accidentally put his foot on the brake so the car squeeked making us laugh before he pulled the handle on the seat so the back fell backwards. Peeta held onto the top of the chair and I kissed his bicep as his muscle tensed when he moved the seat down. Now being on my back in the chair, I wrapped my legs around Peeta's waist, my feet resting on the steering wheel. "We should have done this on your side of the car." Peeta laughs before burying himself back inside me.

"Oh, I get a side of your car do I?" I mocked him and he got his revenge by slamming into me with agonising force. "Peeta!" I screamed and he stared at me with a look of orgasmic awe on his face as we called out each others name loudly as we climaxed.

"Holy shit." Peeta whispered and I nodded. "No one is ever touching my phone again." Peeta mumbled as he reached out and finished the recording. "We're half an hour late!" Peeta exclaimed and tugged his boxers and trousers up before passing me my underwear. "You're going to get your first strike unless Finnick or Gerry has covered for us." Peeta informed me as I scooted back to my chair and buckled my belt.

"Meh, I'll still have eight more chances." I say casually as Peeta pulls the jeep back into the road.

"Mr Burns is going to hate that attitude." Peeta grins at me, his hand on the gear stick as he changes gear. I put my hand over his and Peeta spreads his fingers so my fingers slip between his before he closes his hand over the gear stick again. "We're in the same class until before lunch so, I'll take you to photography," Peeta pauses as he releases my hand to turn the steering wheel sharply round a bend. "You do your thing, I'll meet you outside your class and we'll go to the canteen and get lunch." Peeta looks in the wing mirror as he reverses into a parking spot. "Then we have P.E but you don't have your kit so you'll probably be the ref or something when we play."

"Sounds good." I reply and Peeta passes me my bag as he pulls his cap back on. "Do you really think you'll get away with wearing that cap?" I ask as I drop down from the jeep and slam the door.

"No, I'm just hoping Delly won't see it." He mutters and I steal a glance at him, he's pulling his blazer on. "She gets so angry when I get in fights." Peeta says as we climb the stairs to the main school building.

"You do that often?" I ask suspiciously and he looks at me quickly before looking away.

"Nope." He says, his voice a little too adamant so I walk down the corridor faster. He picks up his speed as well. "It's a long story, I'll tell you later. Maybe." He mumbles and I glare at him as he walks through a back door of the school and taps on a fire escape door just round the corner.

The door doesn't open for a minute then it opens and Finnick is holding it open with his hand, looking at the teacher who's back is turned, writing on the board. Peeta grasps my hand and pulls me inside, hunched over, he pushes me into the chair next to Finnick before he slides into the chair in front, next to Gerry.

"Hey there, Kitty Kat!" Finnick whispers to me and I grin at him as I quietly pull my books and pen out of my bag. "Sir! You haven't given the new kid her reading material!" Finnick shouts and everyone - including the teacher - turns to look at Finnick, then me.

I find myself blushing as the teacher grins widely. He has short brown hair that is quiffed to one side, even from where I'm sat I can see how deep his brown eyes are.

"Yer good, Fann." The teacher points at Finnick who shrugs his shoulders. I'm shocked at his accent.

"Don't know what you mean, Mr Thomson." Finnick replies, Mr thomson turns and bends over to open a cupboard and every girl - I included - crane my neck to look at his arse. "Peeta! She's checking him out!" Finnick whispers in an outraged voice to Peeta who inclines his head slightly to Finnick. "Kat is looking at sir's scottish arse?!" Finnick hisses and Peeta nods before turning back to the front.

"He's scottish?" I ask quietly and Finnick rolls his eyes.

"Ugh, whatever, he's tall, handsome and has an accent. Whoop-dee-doo!" Finnick flails his hands around and I stifle a laugh then blush immensely when I watch as Mr Thomson strides towards me leisurely.

"Mornin, Peeta. Rehmove the carp, please, or I'll get a haden for at." Sir says to Peeta and he pulls the cap from his head and smooths his hair. Mr Thomson bends down with the book open on the first page, his hand poised to write, his other hand holding the cover open. Is it possible for hands to be sexy? Yes, yes it is apparently. "How"d yer spell Katnass?" He asked and I really don't know if I just moaned at the way he said my name.

"K-A-T-N-I-S-S." I spell out quietly as I watch his fingers write out each letter.

"Lass name?" He asked and I kicked myself for not saying even though he only asked for my first name.

"Everdeen." I say and he looks up at me.

"Lake an Evergreen tree?" He says with a smirk and I nod, dazed.

"Sir, stop talking so... Scottish." Peeta mumbles from in front and Sir hits him on the head gently with my book before passing it to me. My thumb brushes his little finger momentarily and I hold my breath.

"Bot I'm Scortash!" Sir says and the class laughs. "Right, kids, this is Katnass!" Suddenly his accent is barely tracable apart from in my name. "Can someone summarise where we've got to in Macbeth please?" Sir leans his arse against his desk and crosses his arms over his chest.

"...not even listening!" I turn to Finnick suddenly, at his hushed voice.

"What?" I ask and Gerry smirks.

"Your falling for Drew's sexy voice." Gerry laughs then grimaces suddenly. "No need for any more violence, Peet." Gerry mumbled and Peeta punched Gerry in the arm playfully. "So, Katniss, how are you?" Gerry turned to me and I smiled at him slightly.

"I'm okay." I answered and he looked like he was trying not to smile to widely.

"Mhmm, I hear you went missing after Rye pissed you off." I nodded carefully and saw Peeta straighten his back. "And Peeta saved you?" I nodded again. "Anything happen in that barn? I mean, you were in an enclosed space, cold and tired..." Gerry trailed off as Mr Thomson stopped in front of him.

"Gerard, do tell the class what the basic idea of Macbeth is." Sir said, his accent only slightly visible. Gerry turned to the blurb and started reading off it before the class laughed. "Peeta?" Peeta shrugged awkwardly and I bit my lip. "Mr Odair? Anything to add?"

"It's about a guy called Macbeth...?" Finnick asked unsurely and then Sir turned to look at me.

"Katniss? Any idea at all? An explanation? I mean we have been talking about it all lesson!" Sir said exasperated and I gazed into his eyes.

"It's about guilt and greediness." I say quietly and Sir perks up, he smiles slightly and waves his hand for me to continues. "Macbeth is persuaded by his wife to murder the King of Scotland and in doing so he fills himself with guilt." Some people are looking at me now and Sir has his arms crossed with his chin cupped by one of his hands. "Through the story we see how Macbeth and his wife swap places, his wife is unable to deal with the guilt of the murder and kills herself and Macbeth barely bats an eyelid. He has become almost immune to any feelings. Love, fear or anything because he went to see some witches who told him no man born of woman can kill him." The whole class is quiet now and Sir is crouched in front of me. "Macbeth is killed by a guy called Macduff."

"I thought Macbeth couldn't be killed?" A girl asks from across the class and Sir gestures for me to answer.

"Macduff was born by the equivalent of a casaerian in these days so wasn't technically born by woman." I reply and Sir grins widely at me.

"Okay guys, talk amongst yerselves." He calls to the class but keeps his eyes locked on mine. "You like to read?" He asks and I nod at him. "Are you reading something now?" I nod again and then elaborate.

"Well, I'm re-reading To Kill A Mockingbird." I say quietly, aware Finnick, Gerry and Peeta aren't speaking.

"Re-reading?" I nod. "What did you think of it?" He asks and I smile sheepishly.

"It's my favourite book." This makes him grin widely and I grin back.

"Why? Why do you like it so much?" He asks and I don't even need to consider.

"So many things, I love the way it's written in a child's perspective."

"Why?" Sir asks and Finnick looks at me.

"Because Scout is so young but sees and understands things that most people don't when they are adults. It just makes sense that she would understand." I say and Sir's eyes twinkle. He opens his mouth to speak.

"Are you going to teach us at all today?" Peeta asks gruffly and Sir coughs and stands up. I take a deep breath, what the hell just happened.

"Of course, ha, um, some volunteers to read? I need Macbeth, Banquo and Three Witches." Sir asks and hands shoot up.

"What was that?" Finnick whispered to me so quietly I could barely hear him.

"I-I-I don't know." I stutter and Finnick gives me an odd look before opening his book and finding where the reader is and following it with my finger. I feel my eyes staring into Peeta's hair and I feel guilt knawing at me. I hadn't done anything? Had I? I slide my new phone from my pocket and unlock it.

_**You: What just happened?xx**_

_**Peeta: I sure would like to know.**_

_**You: Peeta? What's going on? Xx**_

_**Peeta: you just flirted with our sexy scottish teacher Katniss.**_

_**You: I wasn't flirting with him!xx**_

_**Peeta: he virtually had a hard on!**_

_**You: well I don't want his hard on. I want **_

_**Peeta: keep talking/texting x**_

_**You: I want your hard on to throb inside my wet core as you fuck my insanely hard on sir's desk while we film it and add it to our porno **_

_**Peeta: jesus**_

"Am I interrupting you, Mr Mellark?" Sir's voice intrudes my ears and I look up from my phone. "Mr Mellark?" Sir persists.

"N-no, sorry." Peeta's voice is strained and Gerry looks at him then at me and I can't keep the smirk off my face.

"Is Peet about to jizz in his pants?" Finnick whispers and I bite my lip slightly. "Oh my god, he is!" Finnick looks thrilled as Peeta starts to squirm in his seat and his breathing is deep and laboured.

_**You: come for me baby.**_

I watch Peeta as he looks at his phone and I hear him moan slightly.

_**You: I want your boxers to be as wet as my underwear right now.**_

_**Peeta: do you really want me to? Because I am really damn close.**_

_**You: no, don't.**_

_**You: don't think about me riding you so hard we can't breathe.**_

_**You: don't think about my tits bouncing and my walls tightening on you as you explode inside me.**_

With the last text, Peeta starts coughing loudly, trying to disguise his groans but I can hear them.

"Do you want to get a drink?" Sir asks concerned and Peeta jumps from his chair and practically runs from the class.

"You're cruel." Gerry turns and mouths to me and I shrug my shoulder with a grin as he turns back to his book.

Peeta returns ten minutes later with a smirk on his face. He calmly sits in his seat and Gerry stifles a laugh. Peeta's facing me now because we're working in groups of four so Gerry and Peet are turned in their chairs. Everyone is talking loudly about everything other than Macbeth.

"You realise you have to get her for that, Peeta?" Gerry reminds Peeta who taps his pen on my desk in a continuous beat. My phone buzzes and Peeta smirk widens, my eyes narrow at him as I slide my phone out of my blazer again.

_**Peeta: mute your phone.**_

I look up at Peeta who is now talking to Gerry and Finnick about ice skating. I look back down at my phone and check it's on mute. My phone buzzes again and it's a video folder from Peeta so I click on it and then nearly whimper.

The video is of Peeta pumping himself roughly in a toilet cubicle, his erection huge and the tip glistening with pre-come. I don't look up once during the six minute video and I don't even realise I'm holding my breath until I release it in a deep sigh as Peeta's come shoots out of his erection. The video ends and I quickly save it to my phone before slipping my phone back in my pocket and looking up.

Peeta is gazing at me with glistening blue eyes, well one eye because the other is so swollen, a smile covering his face. I vow to get him back for this. I can feel myself leaking onto the chair for god sakes.

"Okay everyone, I'll see you on wednesday! Katnass! Hey!" Mr Thomson squeezes past the students as the rush from the room, I look up and smile awkwardly at him.

"Hi Sir." I say, Peeta is leaning against the door frame of the room watching me and Sir, Gerry and Finnick stood with him.

"I was wondering if you had read The Great Gatsby?" He asks, smiling like a teenage boy and I smile back.

"I haven't, no. Should I?" I ask, hooking my bag over my shoulder.

"Yes! I'll lend you my copy, if you like, Katnass?" I nod at him and he strides over to his desk and bends down to look in the drawers, I make sure Peeta sees as I stare at Sir's arse. I blatantly bite my lip and I hear Finnick and Gerry laugh. "It's err, it's supposedly the greatest love story in history." Sir says as he stands up and turns to me.

"Oh wow." I say, suddenly regretting staying behind. I was aware of Peeta suddenly shouting in an amused tone. "Thanks sir." I say and take the book from him, fully aware he is smiling slightly.

"No problem, any time. I've got quite a few books you might like." Sir says and I quickly leave.

"Katniss!" I jolt, shocked at the sudden shrill intrusion in my ears and look up into Delly's eyes. "I can't believe you let Peeta do this again!" Delly scolded me and I looked between the two.

"Delly." Peeta warned and she glared at him.

"You've got to stop him doing this! Last time he went to god damn hos..."

"Delly!" Peeta, Gerry, Finnick and Sam all yelled and she blushed.

"Hey Delly." I say awkwardly and she grins. "Sam." I say with a nod before looking up at Peeta.

"Hi, Katniss. Ummmm, we have Biology now right?" Delly asked and Peeta nodded. "Take the cap off, I've seen your horrible face now, you twat."

"We have photography together after biology, Kat." Gerry tells me as he starts walking next to me as I walk behind Peeta and Delly as Finnick and Sam slowly walk behind us.

"Oh, good. What cameras do you work with?" I ask, adjusting the strap on my shoulder.

"Uhhh, old ones...?" Gerry says looking at me sideways and we both laugh a little bit.

"Fair enough, what do you take pictures of?" I ask and he adjusts his tie as Mr Burns walks past.

"People, family, elderly versus young, that sort of thing. I hear you do narrative photographs?" Gerry asks and I nod. "Why do you do narrative?"

"Why do you do people?" I counter and he considers this as he holds open a door for me to walk into a science lab.

"I find it amazing how different people are or how similar people are." He says as I turn to look at him. "Like, I have a twin sister, Lucy, we look nothing alike, at all, she has blonde hair." He gestures to his own basically black hair as he leads me to a table. "Then I have brothers that are twins, Patrick and Elijah, they're identical. They have blonde hair. My youngest sister, Evie, and her twin, Noah, they have the same hair colour as mine but, Noah has bright blue eyes and Evie has Bright green eyes." Gerry slams his bag on the desk making Peeta jump who was stood next to him.

"That's pretty awesome. Prim looked like my Mom and I looked like my dad, apparently." I say as I walk behind Peeta and Gerry to look at a tank of frogs. "I don't think I look how my dad looked." I say quietly and feel a large hand on the small of my back and I instantly know it's Peeta.

"You're beautiful." Peeta says quietly as he leans down and kisses my temple before walking away, I turn and no one in the room seems bothered by this affection in the slightest except Finnick who has just grabbed Peeta's arm and is saying something quickly and quietly to him. A young woman walks into the classes so I pretend I need to speak to her as I walk past Finnick and Peeta. "...you don't think I know!" Peeta says in a low tone and that's all I hear because they stop talking.

"Hey, Kat!" Finnick says guiltily and I glare at him.

Something is going on with Peeta, he regularly gets in fights, last time he was hospitalised and Finnick is irritating him now. I'll ask him at lunch.

Gerry and I stumbled out of the photography room laughing hysterically.

Peeta was leaning against the wall opposite the door and pushed his phone into his pocket when he saw us and pushed off the wall with a smile.

"Good lesson?" He asked and that set me off all over again, I bent over clutching my stomach and leaning against Peeta, literally crying.

"It's...her...fault!" Gerry managed to say between roars of laughter and my laughter became silent so I was just shaking with no noise.

"Either way, if we don't hurry up we're going to miss the fish and chips. So let's go!" I felt Peeta's hand press gently on the small of my back and we walked through the next set of doors to go down the stairs. My laughter was subsiding because I just wanted to touch Peeta all of a sudden so when he was two stairs down from me, I put a hand on his shoulder so he turned and stepped down one more step so I was eye level with him. "Hi." He said quietly and I pressed my lips to his frantically. Peeta's hands instantly went to my hips and mine to his shoulders as our tongues found each other.

"Guys." Gerry called with a warning tone so Peeta and I split and continued down the stairs normally as two guys walked up the stairs, they smiled at Peeta but because I was behind I couldn't see if he smiled back. He probably did because that was who Peeta was.

"Peeta, can I talk to you, please?" I ask and both boys turn and give me an odd look.

"Gerry, get our food, okay?" Peeta pulls out his wallet and passes it to Gerry who just nods and gives me a kind of salute good bye. "What's up?" Peeta voice is too casual and I can tell he's nervous.

"Can we go somewhere private to talk?" I ask and his eyes search my face before he nods and walks briskly into a school building, I follow him into the library and he takes me to the back corner where it is abandonned.

"So..." Peeta starts and leans his arse on a small table as he flings his bag onto the table.

"I want to know what's going on." I say and he frowns at me though it's hard to tell because of his bruised face. "Why you get into fights often that leave you hospitalised? Why you were rowing with Finnick in biology about me?" Peeta flinches and I smile a little. "I know it was about me."

"It doesn't make sense," Peeta begins as he sits on the table. "To anyone who actually knows because it doesn't even make sense to me. I go through these... Phases. Where I just need to feel something because for whatever reason I think I can't feel. When I get emotional, be it angry, sad, happy, confused. I just lose myself pretty much. Then I hear Linda's voice telling me how useless I am, how I can't do anything right other than fucking her." Peeta's hands have clenched and I move forwards and wrap a hand around each of his wrists so his fists break open and I slide my hands into his hands. "So then I have to prove to her I can fuck other people. So I do. But because I am so emotional, usually angry, I'm rough and I hurt the girl I'm with." He tightens his grip on my hands a little bit. "Finnick put two and two together and figured that when I need to shag someone it's going to be you and he doesn't want you to get hurt." Peeta says quietly and I push myself between his legs and rest my chest on his with my forehead in the crook of his neck. "I don't want to hurt you either, Katniss. Ever. When I'm like that I just don't have any sense of my strength and I could, I will really hurt you." Peeta releases my hands and wraps his arms around me. "Finnick says I should give you two choices." He nuzzles his face into my neck and breathes deeply.

"What choices?" I ask and Peeta sighs gently.

"You get to choose whether I fuck you when I'm like that or I fuck other girls so you don't get hurt."

"I think we've figured I'm still going to get hurt when you fuck blondes." I say and he tightens his arms on me. "Peeta, when you're hurting I want you to come to me. I don't care if you hurt me because I know its not really you. It's what she's done to you. So when you're in that mood come to me okay, no one else." I kiss Peeta's neck. "But as well as fucking I want some love making. Ok?" I ask, it was hard for me to say and I think Peeta can tell because he pulls back and kisses my forehead.

"Every night I will make love to you, Katniss."

Every night for the past two weeks Peeta and I have made love. We got the locks on our doors that can be locked with keys from inside and outside so we can sneak out and lock the door and sneak into the other room because we have a key to the others door as well. We don't always sleep together because Peeta has to get up early in the morning to go to one of the bakeries and sort stuff out.

Sadly it was going to be another two days before Peeta and I would have sex again because of stupid periods so we got by in the previous days with me giving him oral multiple times a day and him focusing on my breasts.

I'm laying in bed considering this when I hear metal on metal as a key enters the lock on my door, I sit up on my elbows, squinting as Peeta slips into the room and locks my door again before pressing his head onto the door.

"Peeta?" I ask, my voice laced with sleep as I rub my eyes.

"I need you." He says quietly and I frown.

"Peeta, I'm bleeding." I say quietly and he balls his fists and opens his hands repeatedly.

"I know!" His voice is harsh and I swallow. "But, I need you, Katniss!" With that he pulls his sleeping shirt over his head and drops it to the floor then pushes his pyjama bottoms to the floor. I can already see the huge tent in his boxers and my heart starts to race.

"Peeta..." I say unsurely as he walks over to me. I can see him properly now and I can see that vein throbbing on his temple, the way his eyes are moving frantically all over the place and I see the little cuts on his knuckles. "Ok." I say and he instantly pulls back my cover and pushes it to the bottom of the bed. Peeta climbs onto of me and kisses me roughly, this is not a Peeta kiss. This is an angry man desperate for help kind of kiss so I kiss him back and slide my hand down his chest and into his boxers, pulling along his length.

"That won't be enough." Peeta says gruffly and pushes my hand away. I'm scared. I don't want Peeta to fuck me while I'm bleeding. It will hurt. Oh god. "I'm sorry." It sounds like Peeta, its as if he's two people right now. He pulls my pyjama bottoms down and throws them to the floor. I start to bite my lip hard as he pulls down my underwear and also tosses them to the floor. Then he pushes my top over my head so I'm naked but he doesn't even look at my body, he just wants me to be naked.

"Peeta." I say his name hoping he'll stop because I don't want this but he needs this. Why am I letting him do this? Is this love? Do I love him again? Will I love him after I let him do this to me?

"Don't talk." He hisses at me as his hands slide up my thighs, I feel him slowly pulling the tampon out of me and I am really scared I'm going to start crying. Peeta gets off the bed and puts the tampon in the trashcan and I close my eyes when I hear him step out of his boxers. I hear a little tear and open my eyes to see him putting on a condom. Okay, that's a little comforting. Then Peeta is between my legs again and he is supporting his weight over me by his left hand beside my head, his other hand is lining himself up and I have to stifle a scream as I suddenly feel him penetrate me. "Shut up!" Peeta hisses and I gulp back tears, I feel like he's ripping me open as he pulls out and thrusts in harder. "Shut the fuck up!" He hisses again when I whimper. I screw my eyes shut as Peeta screws me. He's being so rough that I'm finding it hard to breathe and he's hitting into me so hard it's burning. It burns everywhere. Peeta grips my thigh suddenly and I focus on the pain of that. I can deal with that pain. When Peeta's thrusts become frantic I open my eyes. It looks like his whole face is closed off, he has no expression when he comes, the only way I know he has is because he pushes himself deep inside me and doesn't pull back out.

I lay there until Peeta finally pulls himself out of me, he gets out of the bed and knots the condom before dropping the bloody thing into the trashcan. I want him to leave now because Peeta isn't back yet but instead he gets into bed with me again, pressing his front to my back and I curl up, my head on his bicep and my tears rolling down on his muscles.


	9. Chapter 9: Different Futures

_**A/N: I'm sorry but my laptop still isn't fixed and it's a total pain in the ass to borrow laptop! I just want to say a huge thank you to every single follow/favourite/review! Keep them coming!**_

_**Chapter Nine: Different futures.**_

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Oh god. Forgive me please. Don't hate me. I'm sorry." Peeta's voice slips into my sleep and I wrap my arms feebly around his body as he lays ontop of me. "Jesus Katniss. I'm a fucking monster. I'm sorry. I'm so damn sorry." I pull eyes apart and slowly remember last night. "Oh jesus. I love you. I'm sorry. Don't hate me. Please. It wasn't me. Don't hate me." Peeta's voice is frantic and I can't focus on his words, I'm more focused on the aching in the pit of my stomach.

"Ouch." I moan and Peet lifts his head from my neck and kisses all over my face immediately. "Stop."

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry!" Peeta says desperately and I absent mindedly rub my hands over his bare back.

"S'okay." I mutter quietly and Peeta scoffs.

"It is not okay! That was not okay!" Peeta is almost telling himself and I just sigh. "What do you need?" He asks, pushing hair out of my face and smoothing his hands along my shoulders.

"A shower." I mutter and he nods frantically.

"Of course! Damn it! Of course!" He says as he gets off me and stands up.

"So do you." I say and he looks down and blushes at my blood spread along the tops of his thigh and his lower stomach. "I don't think I can walk." I mutter and Peeta's face falls even further than it was.

"Try, please try!" He says desperately and I gingerly stand up only for my legs to quiver and fall into Peeta who catches me easily. "Ohmygod! I've paralysed you!" I swat his chest as he holds me up.

"You idiot, its just because you fucked me so damn hard." I mutter and he bends and swings my legs up as he carries me, I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his collar bone. "I'm okay, Peeta. I just wish we had made love like that before we fucked like that." Peeta looks down at me and grins sheepishly.

"Finnick's angry at me." He says quietly as he pokes his head out the door and then walks into the bathroom when it's all clear.

"You told him?" I ask as Peeta takes us straight into the shower and turns the water on.

"Uh huh, I was going crazy. I think he's going to chop my penis off." Peeta says seriously as he carefully puts me down but holds onto me tightly.

"I hope not. I'd miss it." I smirk as I see his penis stir slightly and he groans. "You realise you're insatiable right, Mellark?"

"Only around you, Everdeen." He murmurs as he bends his head to kiss my neck. I grip his hands that are gripping my waist and let my head roll to the side.

"What set you off last night, baby?" I whisper and he stops kissing my neck. "Peeta?"

"I had a nightmare." He says quietly and I carefully turn on my weak legs to face him.

"I have nightmares whenever you're not holding me." I confess and Peeta scrunches his eyes shut as the water cascades around us.

"Me too." He says quietly and I reach up and kiss him. We jump apart when there's a loud knocking on the door.

"Katniss!" Prim's voice rings out and I rush out of the shower and open the door. Peeta grabs a towel with a quiet cuss as Prim barrels into the room.

"Little duck?" I ask desperately clutching her shoulders.

"Ew! You were showering together and you're on your period! Ew!"

"Prim!" I scold her as I see Peeta blush brightly, turning around and hiding the bulge in his towel. "What's wrong?" I ask and she grins.

"Ben said Rory could come over after school today!" Prim says excitedly and I roll my eyes at her.

"Great, we'll talk later!" I say and shove her out the door. "Sorry." I say as Peeta turns back to face me when I lock the door.

"So she knows I guess." He says as he drops the towel and follows me back into the shower.

"I think Evan might have some suspicions too." I say as I hesitantly rub shower gel across Peeta's muscular back.

"Mhmmm, wouldn't surprise me. But, he won't say anything about it." Peeta says quietly, he runs a hand through his wet hair and moans lightly.

"Turn round." I tell him and he turns slowly and looks at me through hooded eyes. I rub the shower gel across his chest and then across the ridges of his abs, trying not to look at his increasing erection.

"I like it when you get authorative." Peeta murmurs and I smirk up at him. "But, I also like it when you're a push over." He adds and I roll my eyes playfully.

"There's no pleasing you, Peeta." I say and he catches my hands.

"You please me everyday, Katniss." I whispers and I blush.

"Only because I'm amazing in bed." I say and he smiles.

"Yes, you are. However, I would be okay never having sex with you so long as I could hold you and kiss you." Peeta confesses and I run my fingers along his jaw.

"Baby, you couldn't go a day without me fucking you or jerking you off or sucking you." I tease him and he smiles.

"Is that a bet?" He asks and I nod. "Let's shake on it." Peeta says and we shake hands on our new deal. "First one to crack has to be the other's slave for a weekend." Peeta asks and I confirm.

I look across the class and run my eyes over Peeta. He's hooked his blazer on the back of his chair and has his jumper sleeves rolled up, he's hunched over his text book as he stares as the simultaneous equations we're working on as he taps his pencil lightly.

"You should take a picture," I snap my head in front as Gerry rocks backwards on his chair. "It'll last longer." He finishes and I smile a little bit.

"What's up Irish dude who weirdly lives in America but, is totally Irish?" I say and he nods approvingly.

"It's a bit long but, it suits me." We smile together and Delly nudges my arm.

"Peeta's looking." She whispers and I burst into a flirty giggle as Gerry looks at me stunned. "Go with it!" Delly hisses so Gerry laughs aswell. "Okay, done."

"Did he react?" I ask quickly and Delly shakes her head.

"Ohhhhh, this is about yours and Peeta's who can go the longest without doing anything sexy bet thing, right?" He asks and I narrow my eyes. "Yeah, Peet told me. I'm supposed to be making you hot and bothered about him right now but, algebra really dampens the mood."

"He's using you to get me to cave in?" I ask and Gerry nods, Finnick turns in his seat beside Gerry and smirks.

"I'm in on it too." He says and he looks across at Peeta. "I'm supposed to be asking you about what your hottest night with him has ever been but, it's boring so I didn't." Finnick explains and Delly and I exchange glances.

"How would you two boys like to be double agents?" Delly asks in a really bad british accent that makes me giggle.

"Wait, you want Finn and I to go behind our best friends back so that he is impossibly sexually frustrated so he loses the bet and has to be your slave for an entire weekend?" Gerry asks and I nod. "I am so in." I look at him and he raises an eyebrow.

"Double O-Dair, at your service ma'am." Finnick agrees in an impossibly good british accent that sounds like it just came out of a James Bond movie.

"So, tell me everything you know about Peeta's sexual fantasies boys." I say and they grin wickedly.

* * *

The next day I am sat next to Finnick in English Literature waiting for the perfect moment to click send. Peeta is thumbing through his key cards at the front of the classroom as Sir sorts out Peeta and Gerry's presentation.

"First deployment in place." Finnick whispers and he nods at Gerry. We watch discreetly as Peeta pulls his phone from his trouser pocket and touches a few buttons then frowns at Gerry. "Second deployment in three...two...one." Finnick whispers then winks at Delly.

Peeta looks at Delly and Gerry perplexed as Finnick clicks send on his own phone sending the words '_**Cold shower?**_' To Peeta who reads then text and stares at Finnick. Finnick nudges me and I click send, chewing my lip.

Peeta looks down at his phone and practically drops it then catches it. He closes his eyes for precisely ten seconds before opening them and gazing at me in hatred. I shrug lightly and then he stuffs his hands into his pockets along with his phone and takes his place next to Gerry at the front, punching him in the arm when Sir's back is turned.

"Are people born evil or are they made evil in time?" Peeta starts and I click send again. Gerry starts reciting his own paragraph as Peeta very sneakily looks down at my text on his phone. I see his jaw clench as his eyes roam the picture of me in the red and black lingerie posing provocatively. "There are many cases that support both sides of this argument. When women ar carrying twins and one foetus dies, the mother more often than not blames the surviving foetus for murdering the dead foetus." Peeta then turns away from the class slightly to look at the video on the board, it's a sort of mini film with Gerry, Peeta, Prim, Delly and some other girls in. Everyone is watching the film but my eyes are focused on the bulge in Peeta's pants.

Eventually the presentation finishes and the school bell rings, indicating the end of class so everyone stuffs their belongings into their bags but I hang back to talk to Sir.

"Hiya, Katnass." Sir says while pulling his suit jacket on. I pass him his book of 'The Great Gatsby' and he grins. "Did you enjoy?" He asks as he adjusts the collar of his dark blue suit jacket.

"I did, thank you. I found it pretty amazing." I say as sir unplugs his laptop, closes the screen and slips it into a brown satchel.

"Yes, it's pretty cool." He says, sounding distracted so I nod and start to move away. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be rude, I just-im just trying to sort some things out for my little brother and it's not working out yet." Sir says so I stop moving, listening as the classroom door closes as the last pupil leaves.

"Do you ummm, want to talk about it?" I ask and sir looks at me oddly for a second before smiling.

"No, it will work itself out. I'm in debt to Peeta really." Sir says distantly and I quickly ask why. "He gave my brother a job in one of his bakeries, Peeta's been teaching him to bake bread and things but, he just always seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." I smirk.

"I know what that's like, Sir." I say and Sir hooks his bag over his shoulder and heads for the door and I follow him. We walk outside and I instantly see Peeta staring at a blonde who is waving her hands around in front of him clearly explaining something. Sir waves and leaves and just as I head over to Peeta, Deely sweeps over and ushers me to the gym. "What are you doing?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Nothing, we're getting changed for our lesson!" Delly says while pushing me into the changing rooms.

"Why couldn't I speak to Peeta, then?" I ask and Delly removes her blazers.

"Peeta? I didn't even see him! Silly me!" She exclaims and I cross my arms.

"You're a horrible liar, Delly. What's going on?" I ask again and she looks into my eyes for a second before turning away.

"It's a big misunderstanding! Peeta and Finnick and Gerry and Sam will sort it out and it will all be fine!" It sounds as if she's trying to convince herself more than anyone.

"What does that blonde girl have to do with it and why does it need four guys to sort it out?" I ask and Delly bites her lip. Then, I mass of chattering girls swarm into the changing rooms making it impossible for me to get any information out of Delly. We change quickly and then Delly grabs my arm and pulls me out the back door.

We're in a higher group than most of those girls in the changing room and our class for PE is mostly made up of boys. We're expected to change into our gym clothes then jog around the school track until Mrs Slack calls us in. So that's where Delly and I walk to quickly.

"Come on, girls!" Slack shouts through her horn and Delly and I start stretching at the side of the track, we bend over and touch our toes, as I straighten up I see Peeta, Finnick, Gerry and Sam on the other side of the track, they are wearing their designated PE t shirts that are grey with the school logo on the left breast and black shorts. Peeta stops jogging suddenly and appears to clutch his hair, Finnick pats his back as Gerry speaks to Peeta, Sam just jogs round them in a circle.

"Ready?" Delly asks and I nod, we jog onto the track and our rhythm quickly aligns so our feet hit the track at the exact same time. As we jog round the bend Sam stops jogging, says something and then all the boys start jogging along the track again.

"Delly, please tell me what's going." I plead and she wipes the back of her hand across her forehead.

"If I tell you, I'm betraying Peeta. If I don't tell you, I'm lying to you." She pants out and I growl in frustration.

"So you know what's going on, the guys obviously know what's going. I'm the only one that doesn't know! That's seems fair Delly!" I snap at her before increasing my speed, Delly does too so I keep speeding up until I'm running at a level I know Delly can't run at.

"Katniss!" She calls but I just keep running. Soon enough I'm passing the boys and I hear Finnick's cheers as I sprint past them. A lot of people who run either have speed or stamina, some how I happened to get both so I know I can keep up this sprint for a good few laps before my body will shut down. I pass Delly once more before Slack bellows at us to head over to the weightlifting hall. I slow my pace gradually and by the time I get to the hall, I'm walking. "It's not fair to use your running abilities to get away from me." Delly instantly hisses at me and I roll my eyes at her.

"If you told me what's happening, I wouldn't have left." I inform her as Slack points us to a bench.

"Why don't you ask Peeta! He's your boyfriend!" She snaps at me as she lays back on the bench.

"When I tried to speak to him, you pulled me away!" I tell her as she grips the bar.

"I did what I was told to do! Don't blame me because you can't control Peeta anymore!" Delly grunts at me as she pushes the bar off the stand.

"I don't want to control him! I just want to know what's going on!" I say exasperated and look across to wear Peeta is easily pumping a stupid number of weights.

"So ask him!" Delly groans and I help her replace the bar. "I hate weightlifting, I always feel like I'm going to give birth." She mutters and not so discreetly glances over to the guys. I keep note of that look.

"Who was the blonde Peeta was talking to?" I ask quietly as I take Delly's place on the bench.

"Millie." Delly says cautiously as she watches me lift the bar easily.

"What's her story?" I ask, bending my elbows and pushing back up.

"She's a slut." Delly replies easily and I breathe out slowly with my elbows locked before bending them again. "She's obsessed with Peeta." Delly says and I look up at her.

"Did they you know, have a fling?" I ask, not liking the way it sounds and watch as Delly bites her lip.

"Katniss... Don't make me betray Peeta!" She begs me and I bench press a few times before catching her gaze again.

"Give me a clue, then." I say and Delly considers this for a moment.

"You already know, somewhere inside, you know what's going on. You just don't want to think about it, Katniss." Delly says quietly and I roll my eyes.

"I said a clue not a riddle!" I say with a small laugh and when I see Delly smile a bit I decide to carry on. "You make it seem like Peet's got someone preggers!" I laugh and Delly looks horrified. My laughter dies inside my chest as our eyes lock. "Ohmygod." I breath out and my arms turns to jelly, the bar slams down on my chest, Delly screams and I hear people swear, the bar rolls to my neck and I lay there, unable to move as the pressure builds in my temples.

"Holy shit!" Peeta's voice rings through my brain before I black out into a world or calm. Where Peeta is not going to be a Father.

* * *

I stare at the white ceiling, my breathing slow and low as I listen to people murmuring at the side of me. I'm aware of the door opening and Mr Mellark's voice call my name but I just carry on staring at the pure white ceiling.

"Weight...neck...pass out...bruising..." I pick up some of the nurses words before I get bored of her voice and zone out.

I start to imagine Peeta as a Father. The image comes easily, like he's born to be Father. An image of a tiny blonde boy riding on Peeta's shoulders, of Peeta teaching him to bake, teaching him to kick a ball. An image of a small blonde girl being tucked in by a Peeta with crows feet around his eyes, of Peeta dancing with her, reading her poetry. An image of a woman by Peeta's side who is not me. I don't want children. I've never wanted children. Peeta hasn't changed that about me, I can't comprehend loving something so much I would die for it. I used to feel that way about Peeta and it tore me apart.

"Sweetie?" I turn my head to look at Mr Mellark who is smiling softly as he pulls me into sitting. I look around, the nurse writing in a folder, Peeta is biting his thumb nail as he sits in a small chair. "Wanna go home?" Ben asks and I feel bad when I realise I see home as still being the apartment I shared with Gale and Prim. "Don't talk." Ben says quickly so I just nod and slip off the bed and follow him through the school.

My mind wanders again, to a house this time. Where you open the big front door and lining the entrance are four pairs of wellington boots, in size order, above them on the wall are four coats and name tages above the coats, I see Peeta's name and then my mind snaps.

I see a dingy apartment with no photographs in, no happiness and no warmth, on the kitchen table is a letter addressed to Katniss Everdeen.

I'm pulled out of my little wander when I feel a large but gentle hand slip into mine. I look down at Peeta's hand clasping my own, I imagine a simple gold wedding ring round the finger next to his pinky and I look into his eyes quickly.

I imagine his eyes being warm and shimmering in blue like an ocean but I see his eyes cold, and pained. I ruin Peeta's eyes. I've created the pain. I pull my hand out of Peeta's and look straight ahead.

I ride back with Ben because Peeta still has lunch then another lesson before the end of school, plus his car is still there. Ben talks aimlessly in the journey back and I occassionally nod or smile slightly, my throat is throbbing and I'm desperate for a drink but, Ben says I can't drink anything just yet.

So now I'm sat in the TV room, Ben is working noisily in the kitchen with Melissa, Evan is sat on the sofa beside me as we watch an old cowboy film. Except neither of us are really watching it. My phone rings again but I don't make a move to answer it.

"What's going on with you and Peet?" Evan asks quietly and I point at my throat indicating I can't talk. Evan rolls his eyes slightly and pushes the whiteboard and pen into my hands.

'_He fucked someone while we were "together" and now his baby is growing inside of her.' _I write then incline the board towards Evan.

"What? Oh jesus!" Evan groans and I stare at the telly. "So, you've left him?" Evan asks and I sigh.

_'I don't even want my own kid let alone someone elses.' _

"Why don't you want children?" Evan asks, turning to face me on the sofa with his legs crossed. I mirror his position.

_'I already raised myself and Prim. What's the point in doing it again?'_

"You don't want a little you running around?" Evan queries and I stifle a laugh.

_'A little me would sit in a corner glaring at people.'_

"Is that how you were, then?" Evan asks and I shake my head. "What was you childhood like?"

_'I sometimes remember sneaking out of mine and Prim's bedroom and sitting by the door of the living room and watching my Mother dancing with my Father. He would whisper the words to her and she would hum with him.' _

"I don't have memories like that." Evan confesses. "I remember one day Rye and I were going to a baseball game with Peeta and Dad. I was around thirteen so Peeta about eight. Rye and I wanted snacks so we convinced Peeta to sneak into the kitchen and steal us some snacks by climbing onto the counter and reaching into the top cupboard. I remember watching him as he tossed a fruit roll at me, then hearing the door open, Peeta jumped down from the counter, petrified. Mother walked in, she saw Rye and I with the snacks, Peeta had none and she slapped Peeta on the cheek. I was frozen with horror, I remember her slapping him again before he looked up at her with those big innocent blue eyes. He never cried. He just said 'sorry mumma' and she slapped him again." Evan spills the words out and I realise that no one has ever asked him about his feelings.

_'You can keep talking, Evan.' _He nods.

"One day, Peeta was at Delly's and Rye and I were trying to bake bread but we burnt like three loaves. We tried to clear up but mother found them and she kissed our heads and sent us upstairs. I remember sitting on the top stair, Rye came out and told me to go to bed but I was scared. I heard Delly's father chat to Mother as Peeta jumped up a few stairs. He was ten. He saw my face and he froze. He knew. I knew he knew. He walked back down stairs and I listened to the door close then the harsh slaps, Peeta didn't make a sound, not until he let out this blood curdling scream. Rye and Father ran from their rooms and ran past me. I didn't find out until later the mother and pressed a cigarette into his scalp. He was ten." I nodded and Evan bit his lip. "One day, Rye came home drunk, he had crashed dad's car and mother her put him to bed, Peeta got back from Finn's and she punched him in the jaw. I remember her apologising and telling Peeta to take the pain killer she was offering but it didn't look right, he took the pill anyway and then went to bed. An hour later I heard her walk loudly into his room and Peeta started shouting. I could her her moans. Through the wall as she fucked him. He was god damn twelve!" Evan shouted suddenly, making me jump.

"Katniss." I jolt my head to the door where Peeta is stood. "Let me explain, please." Peeta pleads once Evan has left the room. I don't move so Peeta closes the door and perches on the sofa behind me. "We don't even no for sure yet. It was two tests from the drugstore! They could be wrong!" Peeta tries to explain but I just stare at him. "She has an appointment with the doctor and wants me to go but I will only go if you want me to. The baby might not even be mine! There might not even be a baby!" Peeta reaches for my hands but I pull away from him. I just keep seeing a wedding ring on his finger. "You're actually leaving me? Because we hit a bump in the road?" Peeta's voice is rising and I can't hide the slight fear building inside me. "When the going gets tough! Never thought of you like that Katniss!" Peeta shouted now and stood up. "Fucking bullshit!" He swore and swiped at the tv controller so it hit the wall and shattered. I jumped at the smashing sound, then again at the slamming door, then once more at the distinct sound of a fist hitting a wall.

I take a few moments to control my breathing, I switch off the telly using a different controller and collect my things before climbing the stairs quietly. Peeta's bedroom door is shut and I can hear music being played loudly from inside.

I slip into my own room and sit at my desk, opening the drawers on the right I pull out the door key to Peeta's room and hold it for a few seconds.


	10. Chapter 10: The Bakery and The Dance

_**A/N: **__**I SUCK. Sorry guys! But, on the upside my step brother has moved in with us and he just bought a new laptop! it doesn't have word yet -_- but, everyone say thanks to Louis! As in Loo-ee not Loo-iss! He's pretty awesome even though he's making me show him my fanfiction in return for the use of his fancy new windows 8 laptop!**_

The next morning I wake up at half six and shower because I'm going to one of the Mellark bakeries. As I walk out of the bathroom, Peeta is walking out of his bedroom. He's wearing dark jeans with a white t-shirt saying 'Mellark's' on the breast. His hair is distinctly bed hair and he is half heartedly patting it down.

"Ready to go?" I ask and Peeta looks at me, his blue eyes burn into my own grey eyes. He studies my face for a minute and I start to feel uncomfortable but, then he smiles.

"Sure." He says and walks down the hallway, I toos my towel into my room and follow him. "Sorry for losing my temper last night." Peeta apologises as he bends to hook his red converse onto his feet.

"Nice shirt." I say and he straightens up. The back of his t-shirt has the words. 'If you like my arse, wait til you see my blue eyes and chiselled jaw.'

"Mhmm, present from Finnick." He shrugs one shoulder as we walk out into the sun.

"The weather here is crazy." I mutter and Peeta unlocks his blue car.

"Yup, you get used to it." Peeta says and settles in the car, as soon as I'm in and closed the door he drives out of the garage. "You don't have to stay in the bakery with me all day, you can go shopping or something." Peeta says as he indicates to turn right.

"It's cool, I was hoping to learn how to bake something." I say hopefully and Peeta changes gear.

"I'll mostly be in the office today, Jacob can show you how." I nod and Peeta changes gear again easily. "Jacob is Mr Thomson's half brother." Peeta informs me and I gesture for him to continue. "Same dad who walked out on them both, Jacob got into trouble in England so Sir offered to bring him out here. He always gets into trouble though, he won't say a bad thing about anyone so he won't admit he didn't do whatever he has been caught for so gets done for it. He spent a few months in juvie a couple of years ago, he was lucky he was five months from his eighteenth otherwise he'd have spent two years in proper prison." Peeta pulls into a park spot next to a battered brown truck and cuts the engine.

"So he's nineteen now?" I ask as we climb out of the car.

"Turned twenty last month." Peeta nods to someone and I turn to look at the guy, he has blonde-brown hair with a jaw that is chiselled but not as much as Peeta's. "Smoking will kill you." Peeta tells him as he raises the cigarette to his lips with a smirk. "This is Katniss, teach her to bake something." Peeta's voice is clipped and he climbs the wooden back steps into the bakery as I reach Jacob.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Jacob." His british accent makes me smirk because he just sounds too british to actually be british.

"Katniss, can I?" I say and gesture for the cigarette. He raises his eyebrows but passes it to me and I take a deep drag. "Jesus." I mutter and Jacob grins. His eyes are deep brown, so brown they look like they hold a million secrets.

"Does Peet know?" Jacob asks as I take another drag before passing it back to him and he takes a drag.

"No, I don't smoke a lot, just occassionally." Jacob nods and drops the cigarrette into a metal bin before gesturing at the stairs.

"Ladies first." He says and it sounds natural, like he doesn't have to think about being polite, it just happens. "What do you want to make?" He asks as we step into the kitchen. It's small-ish but well packed with anything and everything, a small hatch in the wall allows us to see out into the customer area.

"I have no idea." I say and Jacob shrugs.

"Bread? Cake? You choose, it doesn't affect me." Jacob says easily and I cock my head.

"What does affect you?" I ask suddenly and he doesn't flinch in the slightest like I would have.

"Nosey american girls." He replies and then grins at my shocked face. "I'm joking. I don't know, liars I guess and stupid things." He passes me an apron and I remove my jacket before putting the apron on, Jacobs takes my jacket and hooks it on a wall.

"What stupid things?" I ask, curious about this guy. He slides a menu to me that I scan quickly.

"Like when girls wear high heels and then complain their feet hurt. I don't get it." Jacob says with a confused expression and I look down at my pink converse. "See, they are normal footwear. Why would you wear seven inch heels just to be taller than a guy?" He asks me and I shrug.

"I hear heels make legs look sexy." I say and Jacob gives me an exasperated look.

"Shoes don't make people sexy, the brain does." He says and I stare at him. "The idea that shoes make legs look sexy, makes the girl feel more sexy but all heels do are tense the calf muscles." Jacob explains and I gaze at him. "Sorry." He mutters and I shake my head.

"Don't apologise, it's cool." I say and he shrugs.

"I shouldn't be complaining to an owner of the place I work at." Jacob says and I respond quickly.

"I'm not a Mellark." Jacob's eye track Peeta as he walks through the kitchen. "Everdeen." I say stiffly and Jacob looks back at me.

"Everdeen?" He questions, well aware of Peeta counting bags of sugar.

"Katniss Everdeen. I'm an Everdeen." I elaborate and Jacobs smiles.

"It suits you. Jacob Chase." He says and I stifle a laugh. "Yeah I know, I'm british living in america with the surname of the most american name in the world." I laugh slightly and Peeta walks past.

"What are you going to teach her to bake then?" Peeta asks and Jacob shrugs. "Make some cookies, I want some cookies."

"Yes, chef." Jacob responds and Peeta rolls his eyes before ascending a flight of stairs, looking at his clipboard. "So, cookies it is?" Jacob asks and I confirm.

We make the batch of white chocolate cookies easily and put them in the oven.

"Coffee?" Jacob asks, holding up a mug and I nod, making patterns in the flour on the work surface in front of me. "Bored?" He asks as he passes a mug to me, Jacob takes a seat opposite me, sipping his own coffee.

"I'm not good at sitting still." I say and Jacob nods. "Tell me about you."

"What do you want to know?" He asks and I throw my hands into the air. "Okay, let's play truth then." He says and I frown at him. "We ask each other questions and have to answer truthfully." Jacob sips his coffee.

"Okay, when did you move to America?"

"Six years ago when I was fourteen. What's your favourite colour?"

"Green. Why did you move?"

"I was walking down a street and admired some spray art on a wall and police picked me up saying I did it. Why do you want to know about me?"

"You confuse me. Why do your eyes look like they hold a million secrets?"

"Because they do. Are you dating Peeta?"

"No." I say firmly. "Why do you want to know?"

"I'm confused about why you're here. Why are you here?" He asks.

"Mr Mellark fostered me and my sister. Don't you want me here?"

"Actually you're lovely company. Do you know you have flour in your hair?" He asks and I shrug.

"Never mind. Do you live with Mr Thomson?"

"No, I live upstairs. You've kissed Peeta right?"

"Yes. Have you?"

"In a drunken fumble, yes. I'm joking. You've slept with him?"

"Yes. Are you a virgin?"

"I'm twenty, so no. Was Peeta you're first?"

"Yes. Who was yours?"

"A girl called Samantha. Why do you constantly scowl?"

"Scowling is fun. Why are you so chilled out?"

"Emotions are over rated. How can I stop you scowling?"

"Fuck me. When will the cookies be done?"

"Soon. Do you want me to fuck you?"

"I haven't decided yet. Do you want to?"

"If it stops you scowling. You're eighteen right?"

"Yes. How big are you?"

"I don't measure. Are you a sex addict?"

"Most probably. Why don't you measure?"

"It doesn't affect me. Why do you want to know?"

"It affects me. Will you measure?"

"Maybe. Do you want me to?"

"Yes. Will you?"

"Yes. Do you know how crazy this is right now?"

"Yes. Are you hard?"

"Nope. Do you want me to be?"

"Yes. Can I make you hard?"

"No doubt. Can you pass me the oven mits?"

"Yes." I pass them to Jacob and he slips his hands into them and gets the cookies out of the oven and places them on the counter. "Did you know Peeta's going to be a father?"

"No. I'm assuming not with you so, do you want to talk about it?"

"No. Do you want children?"

"I haven't thought about it. Do you?"

"No. Can we sneak upstairs to your room?"

"We could. Why are you rushing this?"

"I'm not patient. Why aren't you rushing this?"

"I'm patient. Cookie?" Jacob picks up a cookie and splits it in half, passing half to me. We eat it silently then Peeta trots back down the stairs.

"Are you two getting on?" He asks and takes a seat beside Jacob, taking his own cookie.

"Relatively." I answer and Peeta nods.

"I'm going for a smoke." Jacob mutters and stands up, I stand up too.

"Me too." I say and Peeta stares at me before looking away. I follow Jacob down the stairs and he lights a cigarrette then puts the lighter and pack away.

"Am I going to be your rebound from Peeta?" Jacob asks and takes a long drag on the cigarette and passes it to me.

"Do you want to be?" I ask and pass the cigarrette to Jacob.

"Yes." He says and his eyes hypnotise me.

"Then yeah." Jacob nods and leans towards me tentatively. His lips touch mine very briefly before he pulls away and takes another smoke.

"Let's not rush things." He says quietly and I nod at him because his face is just so calm all the time but now it is slightly blushed. Jacob stubs out his cigarette and then waits for me to climb the stairs back into the bakery.

Peeta is looking out the window of the kitchen, the window that over looks where Jacob and I were just stood. The window is open slightly and I pretend not to notice as Peeta turns to look at Jacob thoughtfully. Jacob starts to wash up and I pick up a tea towel to dry up.

"You don't have to do that." Jacob tells me as I stand beside him, I bump my hip against his.

"I want to." I say and he smiles a little before passing me a mixing bowl to dry.

"Jake, can I speak to you in my office for a few minutes please." Peeta speaks up and Jacob nods at him and wipes his hands on the front of the apron before walking away.

It's almost half an hour before Jacob comes back downstairs. I look up from my coffee and watch him sit beside me, facing in the opposite direction with his back leaning against the counter and his elbows on the counter.

"What was that about?" I ask and Jacob pulls a face.

"A few things." He says vaguely and I narrow my eyes. "He started talking about a bread machine but, ultimately he was telling me if I hurt you then he would beat me up."

"Seriously?" I ask, turning to face him properly.

"Yup. I think he's in love with you." Jacob mutters and I let my eyes scan Jacob's profile as he looks out the window.

"Well he shouldn't have fucked someone else then, shoud he." I say and Jacob turns his head to me and we look at each other for a little while before I lean forward and kiss him gently. His lips are soft and calm as they move against mine slowly, his raises a hand and cups my cheek as my hand rests on his chest. It's not the same as kissing Peeta. No where near but, it's nice.

"Get your jacket, Kat." Peeta calls from upstairs and then bangs down the stairs. I part from Jacob and he stands up and unknots my apron for me and slips it off my head. I smile up at him and tug my jacket on as Peeta enters the room. "Are you coming next month?" Peeta asks and Jacob reluctantly turns towards him.

"Yeah, I guess so." Jacob seems indifferent about it so I ask what's happening.

"The Mellark Dance. We raise money for charities by hosting the dance, doing bids for things, that kind of thing." Peeta explains and I nod.

"Do you want to go?" Jacob asks me and I smile slightly.

"She has to go." Peeta snaps and I glare at him.

"I'd love to be your date, Jacob." I say, Jacob grins and Peeta looks away before he leaves the bakery.

"Come see me?" Jacob asks as he steps towards me and I nod, he kisses my cheek and then I trot down the stairs after Peeta.

"I think it's a girl!" Delly gushes and I continue to chomp down my cold, crunchy fries.

"No way! Gotta be a boy!" Sam argues and Delly smacks his shoulder playfully. Finnick is beside me at the cafeteria table and he leans towards me.

"You okay?" He asks and I nod. "You don't seem okay, with this." He gestures to everyone at the table who is placing bets on Peeta's confirmed child. Millie's pregnant and is adamant that its Peeta's baby.

"Does Millie have siblings?" I ask and everyone looks at me, I ignore those bright blue eyes and turn to Delly.

"A little brother." She informs me and I nod.

"It's most likely a boy. Peeta is the youngest of three boys, Millie has a younger brother, the highest liklihood is that the baby's a boy." I say and Sam punches the air.

"How do you know that?" Peeta asks me and I try to think of a way not to answer him but I can't.

"Katniss actually listens in biology while you two just stare at the fish in the tank!" Finnick covers me and I go back to my lunch.

"Hey Peetie, I missed you!" I look up to see Millie sitting down and kissing Peeta's cheek.

"I missed both of you so I missed you more!" Peeta exclaims and everyone squeels with delight when he rubs her belly. My heart drops, I'm pretty sure my heart just fell into my stomach, not even joking.

"Hey Finn!" Finnick nods towards Millie before he holds out his hand for me under the table I clutch and grip with all my strength. "Are you going to the ball tonight?" She asks and Finnick nods again. "Taking Katniss?" She asks and I look up at her. "You two are just adorable together!"

"I'm going with Jacob." I say quickly and she seems disgusted.

"The british delinquent who works in Peeta's bakery?!" She is horrified and I tighten my grip on Finnick's hand.

"The british one, yes." I say, trying not to spit my words into her face.

"But, you could do so much better! You're skimming the top of the ocean, you gotta dive right in to get what you want." Millie tells me and I can't help looking towards Peeta.

"Some people are better at that than others." I say calmly and she stares at me, Peeta stares into his tray and the others at the table cough awkwardly or carry on eating.

"What are you going to wear? Formal doesn't mean jeans and a hoodie by the way." Millie spits at me. "Peeta bought my dress didn't you sweetie?"

"Oh really well, Jacob bought mine and I didn't even have to get pregnant for him to do it." Apparently Millie didn't hear because she's turned to a table of jocks giggling and waving at them.

"Back the hell off, Katniss!" Peeta snaps at me and I glare at him.

"I wouldn't have to if she wasn't sitting at our table with our friends!" I hiss and Peeta shakes his head.

"These aren't even your friends! These are my friends who put up with snarky bitches like you because you can't make any other friends!" Peeta growls at me and everyone on the table shouts at him. He seems to flash back to reality just as I clamber from the table and walk away.

I walk straight to my locker and stuff my school bag inside as I pull my pe kit out. The bell rings indicating the end of lunch and I briskly walk to the changing rooms and change in the corner.

"Katniss," I turn to Delly as she walks towards me with her arms outstretched. "You are our friend! I promise!" She says as she pulls me into a hug. "You know how Peeta gets when he's stressed." She mutters and I stifle a laugh. Yes, Peeta gets horny when he is stressed so right now he is probably banging his pregnant girlfriend in the toilets. Delly pulls away and I stare at her.

"I said that out loud?" She nods and then we burst out laughing. "I'll see you later okay? I just want to run today." Delly says goodbye as I leave out the back door of the changing rooms.

"Just the girl." Finnick pushes himself off the wall and wraps an arm round my shoulders. "You alright?"

"Great. Wanna sneak off and have some really good sex?" I ask and Finnick laughs.

"Don't get all jokey to hide your emotions, Kat." He says and I wrap an arm round his waist.

"Okay, I see Peeta and I see him with kids and a wedding ring and a big fluffy dog in a big family home laughing with his wife."

"What do you see when you see yourself then?" He asks as we walk over to the track.

"I see me." I say and break into a jog, Finnick jogs beside me. "Just me. No husband, no kids, no dog, no family home." I say and Finnick jogs silently for a moment.

"Wanna know what I see when I see you?" I shrug my shoulders. "I see Peeta. And when I see Peeta I see you."

"You should go see someone about your eyes." I mutter and we both laugh. "Thanks Finn."

"No problem." Slack doesn't show up so we end up running for a bit as everyone else sun bathes. "God, tonight is going to be thoroughly interesting." Finnick mutters as we slow down to a slow jog.

"I'm sure it will be. All I know is I'm getting at least one dance with you Odair." I say and he suddenly wraps me into a hug, I lock my arms around his neck and he laughs into me neck.

"I want you to meet Annie." He says quietly as we lay down on the asphalt, my head on his chest.

"I'd love to, Finnick." I reach out and link my fingers with his and rest our hands on his stomach. "I wish we hadn't had sex." I admit and he nods. "Now I feel like every move will be seen as sexual."

"Well it isn't." Finnick laughs and that's that.

"Put the claws away, Katniss." I look up at Jacob and smile. He's wearing a simple black suit with a black bow tie and he looks utterly gorgeous. "You look beautiful." He says, looking down at my dark green dress that hugs my curves.

"You don't look too bad yourself." I mutter and he grins at me. "I thought Peeta had balls but he is just following Millie around like a lapdog."

"Maybe she cut his balls off after he got her up the duff." Jacob whispers and I laugh.

"No, he definately had balls after that." I mutter and Jacob pulls a face.

"I don't wanna know about Peeta's balls or any part of his anatomy, thank you. You forget he's my boss." Jacob and I wander into the dining room where everyone is discussing life and donation. "Let's go outside." He says and I look up at him as he leads us through the doors and onto the green lawn. "Care to dance?"

"Outside?" I say and he nods, I take his hand and press myself against him. We don't move much but we move enough for it to be classed as dancing. "Do you want to see my room?" I ask awkwardly and Jacob kisses the top of my head.

"No." I sigh deeply, embarrassed. "But, I'd love to get rid of the hard on I've had since I saw you in this dress." We grin together as we sneak back into the house and upstairs as I fumble with lock for my door, Jacob holds my hips and presses himself against my arse and kisses the back of my neck.

Finally I get the door open and we tumble in, Jacob quickly unzips my dress and pushes it down my body gently, his hands brushing over every part of me. I tug his bow tie off and push his suit jacket down his arms until it falls to the floor. Jacob walks me backwards and lays me down on the bed before hovering over the top of me. I undo the buttons on his shirt as he kisses along my shoulders. He stands up and pulls his shirt off before undoing the buckle on his belt.

"I'm on the pill." I moan as he kisses around my stomach.

"Good." He murmurs and I grasp at his hair and he pulls my panties off with his teeth. "You are so wet." He murmurs and then I cry out as his lips press between me.

"Oh god!" I cry as his tongue probes at my clit. I knot my fingers in his hair as I feel myself teetering on the edge. He nips at my clit and I fall into my orgasm so quickly I can barely catch my breath. When my eyes open again, Jacob is wearing only his boxers and is running his hands from my high heels up to the apex of my legs. "Please." I whisper and reach out to pull his boxers down. "Oh jesus christ Jacob get inside me." I moan and Jacob does just that, he slips his head into me and I hook my arms under his arms and over his shoulders. He moves in inch by inch and when he's up to the hilt he stops to let me adjust. Jacob pulls back and then in again and my eyes roll at this missing pleasure for over month. I ignore the feeling of my body screaming at me that this is not Peeta Mellark so what the fuck is going on. Jacob stops moving inside me and he lifts himself up and presses his forehead onto mine.

"This doesn't feel right for you does it." He say quietly and I can't help but shake my head. "Am I doing something wrong?" He asks embarrassed as he pulls out of me and stands up to get dressed again.

"No. Jacob, it was really amazing." I say and slip back into my dress.

"So its Peeta. Is he bigger than me or something? Which is pretty upsetting because I'm older than him but ..." Jacob trails off and I move towards him to help him with his bow tie.

"I wasn't comparing the two of you." I lied. "But if I was, I'd have to say you're bigger." I lie again. "I just feel like when I'm with Peeta I'm safe, when he's inside me it feels like home." I admit and sigh.

"So why aren't you shagging him right now?" Jacob asks as he sorts out his hair and I sort out mine.

"Is it weird if I say that whenever I see his hand I see a ring on it, a wedding ring on his ring finger. Marriage isn't my thing. Kids aren't my thing. So now Peeta is going to be a father, what am I supposed to do? I can't be a mother."

"No one's telling you to be a mother, Katniss. Just think about how Peeta feels. He is in love with you and makes a mistake that means he has now lost you but he is such a good guy that he's going to be in a shitty relationship just so that kid has a half decent family. Peeta's mother abused him, his Father didn't stop it, Rye bullied him and Evan is emotionally messed up. I just think Peeta is trying to make everyone happy while he doesn't even consider himself." Jacob takes a deep breath and I stare at him. "Peeta's your escape right?" I nod. "You were his?" I nod again. "I think the guy needs an escape now more than ever."

"Have you always been so... Intellectual?" I ask mockingly as we walk towards the open door.

"Yes, as a kid I looked like a grown man with the faces I pulled and conversations I ha... Peeta!" I stop short when I see Peeta sat outside my bedroom door. His back is against the wall, his legs crossed.

"Hey." He says and I swallow.

"Well, I'm going to go and you two need to sort this out." Jacob smiles and kisses the side of my hide before striding down the corridor. I look down at Peeta and he pushes himself to standing.

"Katniss..." Peeta says but my mouth is on his already, a huge sigh is released from both of us as our lips move together. "Kat..." He murmurs but I just tug on his tuxedo jacket to pull him into my room. He kicks the door shut and locks it as my hair weaves through his golden hair.

"I love you," I sigh out and Peeta moans a little. "So much. I'm sorry. I love you." I say quickly and Peeta holds my face and looks into my eyes.

"The baby isn't mine." He whispers and I stare at him. "I walked in on Millie talking to her friends about a guy. I used protection Katniss, he didn't. It's not mine." He whispers and we smile together and kiss again.

"How long were you outside my room?" I ask suddenly and Peeta blushes.

"Pretty much the whole time, sorry." I shake my head at him before tugging his jacket off his shoulders. "Do you feel weird doing this again?" He asks and I freeze to look at him.

"Do you?" I ask and Peeta bites his lip.

"I think I'd be okay to make love to you on the dining table right now I've missed you so damn much!" Peeta laughs and we strip ourselves, unbothered by foreplay just needing to be as one again.

"I've been watching the video you sent me of you jacking off in school." I whisper as I crawl under the sheets and Peeta lays on top of me.

"Really?" He asks as he kisses my neck and I nod. Peeta's erection is pressing against my opening and he cautiously pushes in an inch. My head rolls to one side in pleasure and Peeta sighs in relief before pushes himself in until he can't go any further. I run my hands down his back, my nails digging into his flesh, drawing blood each time his thuds into me again. We're moaning together happily, Peeta's body rubbing along my bare chest as he pushes upwards into me.

"I love you." I whisper again.

"I love you." Peeta says back and then I force my eyes to stay open as my legs spasm to watch Peeta's jaw go slack and his eyes roll happily. Peeta rolls off of me and I snuggle into his bare chest as we wait for our breathing to calm down. "Katniss?"

"Mhmmm?" I respond, my hand running through the hard ridges on his stomach.

"When I come, do you feel it?" He asks quietly and I look up at him, he's bright red.

"Yeah, your erection throbs inside me just before you come so I know it's coming - excuse the unfortunate word - then I feel it shoot into me and sort of settle inside me." I explain and Peeta moans.

"Your losing your six pack." He mutters and I shrug my shoulders.

"It didn't really matter to me." I reply and run my fingers over every inch of Peeta I can reach. "We should probably get back to the party." I say sadly and Peeta sighs.


	11. Chapter 11: Always Wear a Seatbelt

_**A/N:**__** Seeing as Louis is now living in our house and he's letting me use his laptop even though he uses it non stop, updates should be quicker! Louis has also started helping me a lot with the fanfiction with ideas and such and we have quite a few ideas for other fanfictions not only for The Hunger Game but, for Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries which are both TV shows and i am making Luis watch XD!  
Everyone say a massive thank you to Louis!  
And thanks to YOU for reading this, reviewing this, following this, favouriting this and sticking with me :D  
I got SOOOOO many reviews for the last chapter that basically poked Louis until he let me use his laptop :D**_

_**Warning: This is a pretty sad chapter :(**_

That night Peeta slips into my room after me and we kiss frantically. He locks my door and then scoops me into his arms before literally throwing me onto the bed. I laugh loudly and scramble backwards as Peeta roughly tugs his bow tie off and throws his suit jacket over my desk chair.

"You nearly killed me!" He hisses and I smirk. "I though I was going to explode, god damnit!" I watch as Peeta lazily pulls his button up dinner shirt over his head. "To think that I was going to make sweet, romantic love to you all night!" He slips his feet from his fancy shoes and unbuckles his belt. "I think I've earned the right to fuck you so hard that you cannot speak tomorrow because of the screaming I make you do!" I bite my lips as Peeta steps out of his trousers and his erection presses hard against his tight fitting boxers. "I want to make sure every single person in this house hears your screams tonight but, only I hear you calling out my name desperately!" Peeta pushes his boxers down and I stifle a moan as he grasps himself and pumps a few times before crawling on the bed.

Peeta runs his hand between my legs and grasps my underwear before pulling them suddenly, I hear a shocking rip as Peeta pulls them away from my body easily before pushing my dress up to my hips. Peeta looks across at my wardrobe and I frown following his gaze, I don't expect when he enters me suddenly, burying himself inside me as I moan deeply.

"Oh god Peeta." I murmur as he starts to thrust roughly, his head buried into my neck and my hands gripping his hair in fistfuls. After a few minutes Peeta somehow lifts my leg up onto his shoulder and I stare at him in horror before he enters me again and I physically scream. The new penetration send me hurtling into my orgasm while Peeta continues to thrust into me in this position until my body becomes limp.

"Come here, Baby." Peeta whispers and pulls on my hands so that I sit up and he pulls my dress off me before unclasping my bra. "Fuck me." He murmurs and I clamber into his lap as he watches me with a sexy smirk spreading across his mouth. I'm so wet that Peeta slides into me easily and I throw my head back in pleasure as he fills me so 's hands hold my hips as he drags me down onto him and my hands are gripping his shoulders desperately trying to say grounded. Peeta starts to thrust his hips upwards into me and I can't help but let out numerous screams of pleasure. I lift my hands into my hair and moan loudly as I feel myself on the brink of an orgasm, when I open my eyes I smile at Peeta's slack jaw and rolling eyes then fall into my orgasm too.

* * *

For Prim's fifteenth birthday she asked to go to an open air movie showing 'Gone With The Wind' so that's where Peeta is driving the three of us now. Peeta is wearing dark jeans and a dark green button up shirt, I'm wearing jeans and a jumper and Prim is in a light blue dress that Evan bought for her.

Prim was in the back on the phone to Rory using the new phone that Rye had bought her, Peeta and mine hands were linked over the gear stick, I couldn't help but look at him as he watched the road. He was growing his hair out a bit so there were small waves starting to form and he had a small smile playing on his lips.

"You're distracting me, Kat." Peeta said quietly and I blushed as I looked out of the window quickly.

"Keep your eyes on the road." I say and he squeezes my hand a little before humming along to the radio.

"Rory says hi." Prim calls from the back seat and I turn to look at her.

"I say hi back, are you going to be on the phone all day missy?" I ask and she gives me a cheesey grin.

"Ask him how the baseball is coming along." Peeta says and Prim asks Rory.

"He says he can't get the fast ball right so when can you give him a lesson?" Prim forwards to Peeta who looks around the motorway in slight confusion because there are no other cars.

"Ehhh, we'll work it out tomorrow at the dinner." Peeta replies and then accelerates some more when he sees a few cars coming up behind him. Peeta releases my hand and I look at him.

"Peeta?" I ask carefully and he frowns deeply.

"This feels dodgey, I don't like it, Katniss." He whispers to me and I look around.

We watch as a black SUV drives past us and Peeta sighs but my eyes are watching a red land rover on the other side of the motorway.

"Peeta, is he coming this way?" I ask and Peeta grips the steering wheel, The land rover breaks through the barries and slides onto our side of the motorway.

"What the fuck?!" Peeta swears and swerves out of the way but the land rover catches the tail of Peeta's car making us spin, Prim screams and Peeta tries to get out of spinning. The car grinds to a halt and none of us speak for a minute, our racing hearts filling the car until Peeta looks behind and unbuckles his seat belt.

"Don't go." I whisper, my voice racing and Peeta turns to me and takes my hand, squeezing.

"I'm going to be fine, I just want to check the other guy is okay." Peeta reaches across and kisses my cheek and then my ears are pierced by Prim's scream and then I slam forwards as a car drives into the back of us. My seat belt stops me just before I slam my head on the dash board but Peeta is thrown forwards and a deafening crack is heard. I try to turn round to see Prim but I can't move so I sit motionless watching blood pour from Peeta's head.

My eyes rise and I watch in horror as a truck drives straight towards the drivers side of Peeta's car. I screw my eyes shut and then try to ignore the feeling of the car being hit and then being dragged around. My head slams on the window and I thankfully slip into darkness.

When I open my eyes there are bright lights flashing around us and a face appears in front of me. His mouth is moving but I can only hear a long incessant ringing. The front window has been smashed and people in bright clothing are reaching inside to Peeta and I. I turn and try to focus on Peeta, he is hunched over in his seat, his body limp and the blood from his head is now slow and lazy. I reach out and my hand is shaking as I touch Peeta's shoulder. I try to keep turning and see Prim but I can't turn so instead I try to call her name but nothing comes out and then a painful cough.

"Can you hear me? Honey?" I turn to the voice. A woman is laying across the bonnet of the car looking at me and I manage a slow nod. "Can you tell me your name? Your name? My name is Emma. What is your name?" Her voice is slow and calm and she keeps her brown eyes steady on mine.

"Katniss." I croak and she smiles.

"That's a lovely name! Can you tell me the drivers name, Katniss?" She asks and I nod.

"Peeta." I whisper and she tells the man who is trying to reach Peeta.

"Lovely, that's wonderful. What about the small girl in the back?"

"Prim." I croak and the woman nods and tells someone else. "Please, help them." I say and the womans eyes drop suddenly.

"We'll do our best, Katniss. Can you move Katniss?" She asks and I try to move and then let out a scream at the the pain that shoots up my back to my neck. "Okay, stay still sweetie. Don't move." I look across as three men manouvere Peeta so he is sat up in his chair but he still isn't moving.

The men reach forward and press his fingers to his neck then try the otherside, my heart starts to pound when they try for a pulse at Peeta's wrist but get nothing.

"Nonono! Please!" My voice seems to startle the paramedics and Emma tries to calm me down but my heart is racing and Peeta's is not.

"You need to calm the hell down, sweetheart!" I narrow my eyes at the paramedic and then look down at his nametag 'Abernathy'. "Stop god damn, yelling!" He shouts at me, then he leans back in the windscreen and rips Peeta's shirt open, two metallic contraptions with wires hanging out are pressed to Peeta's chest. There's a loud noise and Peeta spasms, Haymitch swears and presses the paddles to his chest again, Peeta spasms and Haymitch swears quietly.

"No! Please!" I whimper as Haymitch moves away. "Once more! Just try one more time! Please!" Haymitch studies me for a second, he pulls the paddles out of another paramedics hands and presses them to Peeta's chest. Peeta spasms and his eyes flutter open before he starts coughing, I break down in tears as Haymitch speaks to Peeta.

"Katniss." Peeta croaks and I turn and look at him. "I'm sorry." He murmurs before his eyes flutter closed, I reach out and hold his hand loosely.

"Katniss, are you okay? How are you feeling?"

"I'm tired, I want to sleep." I mutter and close my eyes. "Tell Prim I'll see her in the morning." I feel my head roll then I slip into unconsciousness.

* * *

"She's stable, sir."

"No. She isn't ready! She is barely awake for more than thirty seconds!"

"She deserves to know Dad!"

"She will, Evan! Just not..."

* * *

"How's Peeta?"

"He won't speak."

"To anyone?"

"No one. He just lays there like he's dead."

"Don't say that."

* * *

"What happens now, Dad? She's legally out of the system."

"Nothing changes until she wants it to Rye."

"That won't work dad!"

"Shut up! Shut it up!"

* * *

"Will he cope?"

"I don't know, kid. I don't know. I don't think I would but he's stronger than I am. He's been through more."

"Wouldn't what he's been through be a reason for him not to cope?"

"Don't doubt him. Just hope."

* * *

Finally after days of slipping in and out of consciousness my eyes open properly. I stare up at the white ceiling for a few seconds before looking around me. Finnick is sat in a chair beside me reading a book but he looks up and smiles before the smiles drops from his face and he looks at me apologetically.

"What?" I croak and he shimmies his chair forward and grasps my hand between both of his.

"I was hoping you wouldn't wake up while I was here." Finnick says with a forced laugh and I stare at him. "Who ever was with you had to explain."

"Explain what." I demand and Finick chews the inside of his mouth.

"What do you remember?"

"Peeta being brought back then nothing." I say and Finnick grimaces.

"Katniss, I-I don't know where to start." He moans and I suddenly feel lost.

"Prim, where's Prim." I say and Finnick clutches my hand.

"Katniss, Prim wasn't wearing a seatbelt. She just, the truck hit the car, and she, her body wasn't strong enought to fight it." Finnick tries to explain but I feel myself starting to float away. "She wasn't in pain, it was quick they said." I looked away from Finnick and he stood up. "Please, Katniss..." I don't know what he was about to say because I ended screaming. I think it was Prim's name. It was long. And by the end of it Finnick was screaming at a doctor to get away from me with the needle. I screamed again and I was aware for Finnick pushing the doctor away. "Fuck off! Don't! Don't put it in her! Fuck you! Fuck off!" He screamed and eventually more doctors were called and Finnick was restrained and injected while I continued screaming before a sharp prick stabbed me in my arm too.

Every time I woke up from the drugs, the doctors had to inject me again because I would scream and fight anyone who I could reach, so now there are leather straps holding me down. I tried to carry on screaming but Finnick seemed to break down every time I screamed and he would start sobbing for Annie so now I just lay here in the hospital bed.

The downside is that because I refuse to speak or communicate, my mind is constantly whirring about Prim. Rory tried to speak to me a couple of days ago but I blocked him out.

That's an upside I guess, I have developed an ability to literally ignore people like they aren't there. I close my eyes and focus and boom, I can't see them, I can't hear them, I can't feel them.

Every time Rye or Evan or Finnick or Mr Mellark walks into the room I want to ask about Peeta. They don't mention him or if they do it's when I've already blocked them out but I think truthfully I can't cope with anymore.

Peeta was dead in the car. Prim was dead in the car. I saved Peeta because I told the paramedics to try one more time. What if I had given up on Peeta and the paramedics focused on Prim? Would she be here instead of him? But then Peeta would be dead. He's probably dead anyway.

Since I've known Peeta, his heart has stopped twice. Surely that's got to mean it's supposed to stop permanently.

The door to my room opened and someone walked in. No, two people walked in but the scond person was shuffling. I wanted to see the second person was because I could tell by the scent that the first was Finnick.

The two people sat in the chairs and said nothing so I didn't open my eyes until someone hummed. It was such a shocking, high pitch hum that I opened one eye and looked around.

Finnick was reading again but he was holding a females hand. She was pretty. I determined that. The female was swaying her head side to side and her eyes were stuck on my face. She laughed suddenly and I blinked and looked at her. Finnick didn't seem phased by her sudden, and kind of offensive laugh, he just turned the page of his book and rubbed his thumb over her hand. Her eyes were now on the restraints on my wrist and she seemed upset by them.

"No thank you." She said suddenly and Finnick looked across at her. "No, no thank you." She said again and took her hand out of Finnick's. He closed his book.

"Ann." He said and she shook her head.

"I don't like it thank you!" Her voice was raising and Finnick just sat watching her, his hand rubbing her back gently. "Yes ok! I will! She doesn't like it! She doesn't want it!"

"Annie, who doesn't like what?" Finnick says gently and Annie scrunches up his hands and rocks forwards and backwards.

"She doesn't like them, Finny!" Annie shouted and Finnick looked at her sadly before leaning over, kissing her temple and going back to his book. Annie stops rocking and just stares out the window so I close my eyes again.

So this is the girl Finnick's in love with.

It's quiet for some time and need to bend my elbows because they've become stiff but I can't. Instead I just think about what it would be like to shoot arrows in this room.

I hear Finnick yawn and he shuffles in his chair.

"I'll help you, Katniss." Annie says suddenly and I open my eyes and look at her, Finnick is staring at her too. She stands up and turns round once before humming and running her hand from the crook of my elbow to the straps on my elbow. "I'll help." She unbuckles the strap and I watch as she moves around the bed and unbuckles all of them. Annie stands at the foot of my bed with a wide grin on her face. "Stretch!" Annie squeels and I bend my elbows painfully. "See! Yes! Haha!" She laughs and I can't help a tiny smile spreading upwards. Annie scrambles onto my bed like a small child would and she pushes me over carefully and kneels down and looks at me expectantly.

"Thank you." I croak and she claps.

"Cheat!" She shouts and I glance at Finnick, he has a happy smile on his face as he produces a pack of cards. Annie takes them and empties them into Finnick's hands. "Sit up, Katniss!" She demands so I do as I'm told. "You know how to play?" I nod and she claps happily.

I play cheat with Annie and Finnick for an hour before I look across at Finnick with an aching heart.

"Peeta." I say simply and Finnick looks up at me, he rubs his face with his hands and sits backs in his chair.

"He's alive." Finnick says shortly and I feel a weight leave my shoulders, I didn't lose them both. "But, he hasn't spoken since he came out of surgery."

"Surgery?" I ask horrified and Finnick scratches his thigh.

"One of his legs has been amputated, Katniss." A hand covers my mouth and I suddenly want to hold him. "I think he blames himself for Prim, I'm guessing he thinks you'll never forgive me for it so like I said, he hasn't spoken." Finnick grimaces and we watch as Annie gets off my bed and walks to the door.

"I like Peeta Mellark." She says distantly and then laughs. "He's kind to me." I roll out of bed and Finnick supports me because my legs are unsteady.

"He was in the room next to you but your screaming used to raise his heart rate so they moved him." Finnick explains as we creep down the hallways. It must be late because the hospital feels deserted until Annie walks into a secluded room with the shutters pulled. My feet start to slow down and I want to tell them to start moving but I don't want to look crazy so Finnick and I get into the room slowly.

I think my heart actually stopped for a while when I saw Peeta. His blonde hair that he had been growing out was messy and not the way he used to have his hair, the hospital gown he wore was loose and tight on his broad shoulders all at the same time, he was connected to an IV drip but what made me whimper was the way the outline of his leg stopped below the knee. Annie tapped his chest quickly and laughed before sitting in a chair. Finnick looked unsure and was poised as if ready to catch me if I did something crazy.

But all I did was whisper Peeta's name and lift his bed covers. I climbed in beside him and held his body in an awkward but painfully comforting way. I listened to his heart beat and I cried. I hadn't cried yet but, being with Peeta made me feel like it was safe to cry.

I guess Finnick didn't see because I was in the way but I felt when Peeta's hand raised from the bed slightly and pressed against my back. I reached around myself to clutch it and I felt his slight squeeze as if to tell me that he was still there.

"Come back to me, Peeta. Please." I find myself whispering. "Don't make me lose you as well." My voice broke and it didn't even shock me when Peeta's arms wrapped around me suddenly. "I love you."

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry. Please, Katniss, I love you please don't hate me." His voice was crackly and low in my ear and I buried my face in his neck.

"I don't hate you, never, I can't, I love you." I whisper and Peeta sighs deeply.

I'm vaguely aware of Peeta pulling at the tube in the back of his hand and moving us so I'm on my side and his front is pressed against my back. His big arms hold me tightly but I hear him wince in pain.

"I'm disabled." He whispers suddenly and I don't even open my eyes. "I'm clinically disabled." Peeta's not telling me, not yet, he's telling himself. "I'm a retard." He says and I raise my hand and slap his arm that is around my waist.

"Don't you ever say that, Peeta!" He tightens his grip on me and I tighten my grip on his arms. "This doesn't change who you are." I tell him and he sighs.

"I'm sorry." He says and we both know he is talking about Prim. "It was my fault, I've been rethinking it and if I had just kept driving we'd never got hit." Peeta's voice is laced with pain and remorse and I grip his hand.

"She wasn't wearing a seat belt Peeta." I try to say calmly.

"Neither was I but I'm still here." Peeta whispers and I clench my eyes closed. "I know if you had the choice you'd pick her to be. I would too, Katniss." He says and I swallow because I don't know if it's true. "I'd die for her, I wish I had died. She was just a kid. I killed Prim, oh god I killed Prim!" I could feel Peeta's heart racing and I turned over quickly and held his face between my hands, he was sweating and his eyes were unfocused, I was losing him.

"Peeta, look at me." He tries but he can't keep his eyes on me. "Peeta, you did not kill her." I say forcefully and he clutches at my hands. "Peeta, I. Love. You. You hear me? I love you! So don't leave me okay!" He starts to calm and he closes his eyes as he nods. "Stay with me, Peeta." I whisper and press my forehead to his.

"Always." He whispers back.

* * *

When I woke up I could feel Peeta's heart beat thumping steadily against my ear. I was curled into his side, half on him half off, his arms were wrapped around me tightly and I sighed.

"I don't understand." I freeze at the sound of Mr Mellark's voice. "Why are they like that?" Peeta holds me tighter and I know he's awake too, how the hell do we explain being wrapped around each other in bed.

"Sir, I think you need to talk to them about this. Not me." Finnick replies and then I hear him leave the room.

"I just don't get it, son, of all the people that could bring him back from the brink, why Katniss?" Mr Mellark asks and he sighs.

"Dad," Evan speaks and Peeta relaxes a little. "It's kind of obvious." He says, his voice trying to be confident. "If you were on the edge of an internal break down, who could save you?"

"Someone I love I guess." Evan must have pulled a face because Mr Mellark then says "Oh!" Peeta and I both open our eyes, our faces blushing as Mr Mellark looks between us. "Well, I am really disappointed in you, both of you." He says and I cling to Peeta as he bites his lip.

"I love her, Dad. Please, don't send her away, if you do I will find her! I won't leave Katniss again, I can't." I look up at Peeta and he looks down at me.

"I love him." Is all I can manage because I am fighting against my fight or flight mode.

"Peeta, Katniss. I am disappointed in you," Mr Mellark says and we both shrink, he's going to shout at us. "Because you didn't tell me!" We look at him in shock as he grins. "I'm an old man! I don't see these things any more but, I wish you had told me!"

"I'm sorry, Pa! We were scared!" Peeta exclaims and Mr Mellark grins widely.

"Should have known really, you two were always with each other. I just assumed it was the age connection!" We were all smiling, even Evan in the corner but then Mr Mellark frowned. "When did this happen?" He asked and I nudged Peeta to explain.

"The summer I went to camp, Katniss was there. We just kind off hit it off and knew but then the summer ended and so did we. Then boom, Katniss is back and I couldn't pretend not love her anymore." Peeta explained it so easily and Mr Mellark nodded.

"Will you make me leave?" I blurt out and Mr Mellarks grabs my hand.

"God no, Sweetie! Besides! I don't even foster you anymore, you're eighteen, you're free to do whatever you want! I hope you choose to stay with us, you're part of the family now aren't you?" He says happily and I grin.

"Not exactly." I laugh and then Mr Mellark and Evan start chatting and Peeta leans towards my ear.

"Not yet." He whispers and my heart races.


	12. Chapter 12: Everything changes

_**A/N:**_** HOWDY! so this idea was Louis'! woo! go Louis! :D I quite like it but, no doubt i'm going to get some stick for it being 'unrealistic' *cough-fanfiction-cough*. I got a pm about Louis so at the bottom of this chapter I'm going to explain!**

"Stop laughing at me!" Peeta huffs at Gerry and I glare at Gerry. Peeta is still trying to work with his prosthetic and at the moment kind of looks like a robot when he walks.

"I'm not laughing!" Gerry lies and I throw a piece of popcorn at him. "I'm giggling at the film!"

"The film ended five minutes ago!" Peeta shouts and Gerry smirks. "Fuck off, guys. If you aren't going to be supportive you can leave." He says and Gerry's face falls.

"Nonono, Peet! I'm sorry! I won't laugh anymore! Come on bro!" Peeta laughs and Gerry his kisses him suddenly and I stare as Peeta blinks multiple times before Gerry pulls back. "Love you!" He says then leaves.

"Did he ju..."

"Yes, Gerry did just kiss my boyfriend and yes I am very jealous." I say and Peeta smile and looks away. "Peeta..." I trail off and walk towards him.

"Katniss, don't." He says and I sigh. Peeta rarely touches me anymore and if I make an attempt to touch him he makes an excuse to get out of it. He's even resorted to saying he sleeps better alone so I don't share a bed with him and frankly, it's tearing me apart.

"I'm not." I say and walk past him out into the kitchen. "Do you want anything?" I call and he growls.

"If I wanted something I would get it myself!" He says and hold the countertop and sigh.

"That's now what I meant."

"It never is. Good night, Katniss." He says and I roll my eyes. Once I hear his bedroom door close I creep up the stairs so as not to wake any one else and into my room.

* * *

I don't sleep much that night. Hell, I don't sleep much at all without waking up and screaming. Tonight I don't have nightmares, I just feel odd. Like something is going to happen, I can't say what but, it is making me restless.

It's eight in the morning and I can hear a lot of commotion downstairs, I slip out of bed and pull a face at my pyjamas that are really just short shorts and a vest. When I open my room, I can't help look into Peeta's room, the door is open, he's facing me but is wrestling a t shirt over his head, my eyes latch onto his body and I moan a bit. He pulls the shirt down and looks at me.

"Do you know what's happening?" I ask and he shakes his head before moving towards me.

"No, do you?" He asks and I shake my head as well. We walk down the corridor together and head down the stairs. My body stops moving halfway down when I see Mr Mellark, Rye and Evan talking to someone tall wearing dark jeans and a bomber jacket on the top, carrying a blackholdel bag. He turns to look at me and my hands fly to my mouth.

"Hey, Catnip." He murmurs and he drops his bag as I run down the stairs and launch myself off the fourth stair from the bottom, Gale catches me and laughs but his laugh soon turns to sobs and we sob together. No one else says anything, my legs are wrapped around Gale's waist and my arms around his neck as we cling to eachother.

"Gale!" I cry and he clutches me tighter. Neither Gale and I are aware the my vest has risen and his warm hands are on my bare back but, Peeta does see. He sees us clinging to each other. He sees us crying together.

"Prim." Gale says and I nod my head in his neck. I don't know how long we're like but when I eventually unwrap my legs from his waist, no one else is stood there. "Wanna go to the woods?" He asks with a smirk and I nod - we always used to go to the woods together.

I run upstairs and quickly pull on some sweatpants and a simple t shirt and flip flops. I head into the kitchen and Gale is talking to Mr Mellark. I stand beside Gale as he pulls apart a bread roll. His back is straight, his shoulders back.

"So you're in the army?" Ben says and Gale smirks a little.

"I work for the goverment sir." Gale replies carefully and Ben narrows his eyes.

"What, like a spy or something? I thought you were dead." Ben says and Gale nods.

"I work for the goverment." He repeats. "My death was vital in the... Position I was needed in." Gale says, considering every word.

"Well, you're welcome here for as long as you need."

"Thank you, sir." Gale says and I smile at Ben before I whistle for Max. He trots to my side as Gale and I step out the back door into the bright sunshine.

"So, what the fuck?" I ask straight away.

"I can't tell you everything Katniss, I can tell you that my death was vital and I am sorry you had to go through it." He says and I throw a tennis ball for Max, he walks to it.

"You couldn't have left me a note or something?" I asked and he pulled an envelop out of his bomber jacket inside pocket.

"I found a photograph in an old box of mine." Gale says, changing the subject. "Of us." He says and pulls the photograph out of the envelope and passes it to me. I smile, the photograph had been taken when Gale and I took Prim to the in town circus, we're all sat on a huge elephant smiling widely.

"Cute." I say and he nods and puts the photograph away.

"How's school?" He asks and I shrug.

"Good I guess. Everyone treats me as the girl who's little sister died though." I say sourly and Gale throw the ball for Max again before sitting on one of the swings and I sit on the other.

"It's only been a week since you've been in school again, Catnip." He says and I glance.

"How would you know that?"

"I work for the goverment." He says and swings a little. "The goverment knows everything. Therefore, I know everything."He says and I look into the woods.

"What do you do?" I ask and he sighs.

"I help people." He says and I nod, it's something he would do. "I help people get away from things, I help finish things, I help make thinks. I just help." He says and I stroke Max's fur as he falls on my feet.

"Have you killed anyone?" I ask and Gale looks at me.

"Yes, multiple people."

"Why?"

"It's what I do." He says and I roll my eyes.

"Are you like, an assassin or something?" I ask and Gale smirks.

"Sometimes, I'm here to kill you right now." He says and lunges at me playfully. I laugh and jump over max. We run around the garden like little children, I'm a few metres onto the wood when Gale catches me and we fall on the floor. Me on my back and Gale ontop of me. "I failed an assignement, Katniss." He whispers and I stare up at him, he brush my forehead with his thumb. "If I had succeeded the social would have lost all files on you and Prim." He says and I sigh.

"What happened?" I ask and he frowns.

"I blew up a school." He whispered and I tried not to gasp. "My colleague was a traitor and he fed me lies. I didn't think it would happen." He says and his eyes fall onto my lips. The his lips fall onto mine. He's gentle but demanding when he slides his tongue to part my lips and starts exploring my mouth. It feels so good to be kissed like this and now a peck on my forehead so I lift one arm to his hip and kiss him back.

**Peeta's P.O.V**

It just so happens that my room has a window that looks out into the garden. It just so happens that there is a gap between some trees. It just so happens that I see Gale and Katniss together.

I had watched then talk and then laugh and then chase eachother and now I watch them kissing. I hope it's only kissing. I can see Katniss' hand on his waist, pulling him closer to her. I fear that my jaw is permanently clenched shut now and that my teeth are grinded to dust.

They aren't kissing anymore, Katniss is chasing Gale and a sour taste fills my mouth.

They're out there running and I can barely walk anymore. I look down at the prosthetic and angrily I sit back on my bed and unstrap it. I don't know what to do once it's off so I throw it, it crashes over my desk and falls to the floor with books and papers and sketches. My eyes fall onto the locked drawer and I drop to the floor and drag myself towards it.

The key hole is there to purposefully deceive people, there is no key. Any magnet will open the drawer if it is close enough to the handle. I grab the magnetic ball on my desk and hold it near the handle until it clicks softly. Then I pull the drawer straight out of the desk.

I move myself and the drawer onto my bed and I stare at the silver frame containing the photogoraph of Katniss and I when we went to the fancy dance at the summer camp. I carefully pull it out but rage fills me and I throw it at the wall.

I gather up all the stupid sketches I've drawn of her and rip them as many times as I can before throwing them too so they fall around my room.

I scrunch up the menu of the various diners we went to and had sex in the bathrooms of and threw them roughly. And they hit the walls of my room and joined the mess.

The rest of the stuff in the drawer was just that; stuff. I pick up the drawer and hurled it again the floor to ceiling mirror in my room so it smashed because I never wanted to see myself again.

My heart was racing with anger and pain and I didn't know what to do, I grabbed my crutches and I moved to my wardrobe. I took out every pair of shorts that I own and held them in my arms as I moved to my desk and sat down. I grabbed scissors and chopped up all of my shorts into little pieces, tears cascading down my angry red face.

"Peeta?" I looked up momentarily at my dad and brothers.

"What are you doing Peeta?" Evan asked and I continued to snip angrily.

"I'm never going to need them again am I!" I scream and they looked shocked. "Shorts! Fucking shorts! Why would I wear shorts when I don't even have two legs!" I screamed and my dad blinked back tears. I laughed and moved to my bedside cabinet with the scissors using my crutches. I reach down and took out the condoms. "I won't need these anymore!" I yelled and Evan looked bewildered. "I won't need these if I can't even get it up! Yeh! I'm a fucking cripple! Well no! I'm not a fucking cripple because I can't fuck! Who gives a god damn shit!" I scream as I cut each condom in half before throwing the scissors across my room as well.

"Calm down Peeta." Dad said and I threw a book in his direction.

"Fuck off!" I screamed and he rushed out of the room. "You guys can sod off as well!" I shouted and to my shock Rye and Evan stepped into my room and shut the door.

"You told the doctors everything was fine down below, Peet." Rye said as he stooped to pick up shards of my mirror.

"Oh yeah! Because I co..."

"Stop shouting at us." Evan butted in and I swallowed.

"Katniss was always with me, how could I tell her that I couldn't get hard?" I asked and fell backwards on my bed. My brothers milled around my room, cleaning the mess I made as I lay there and stared at the ceiling. "He's staying, isn't he?" I ask and look across at Rye.

"Yeah, he has nowhere else to go." Rye responds and I screw my eyes shut. "Come on buddy." Rye and Evan pull me up and I look at them confused. "Leg on or off?" I shake my head and they hand me my crutches.

"What's going on?" I ask and they smile.

"We're taking you to the doctor to get you sorted." Evan explained and smiled at me.

**Katniss**

It was surreal to have Gale back. We shouldn't have kissed and I told him so. I explained how Peeta's barely been touching me and he listened and nodded before we started a childish game of tag.

Then we sat in a tree in the woods and watched everything go past us. We barely spoke and it wasn't untile we heard an owl that we realised it was dark and we headed back to the house.

"Just in time." Melissa smiled warmly and Gale offered to carry the plates in with her. I did too and I carried two plates into the dining room, I put one down in front of Evan and the other down in front of Peeta. Peeta moved away from me and my heart ached. Gale passed me a plate and I thanked him and took my seat beside Peeta.

"How was your day?" I asked Peeta and he looked at me.

"Nothing happened really. How about you?" He asked and I was about to answer when he continued. "Anything fun happen?" I blushed a little and looked at Gale momentarily, he was talking to Melissa.

"No, not really. Just catching up with Gale." I say and started to eat my casserole.

"Well I did find something out." Peeta says and I nod. "From my bedroom window, I can see almost everything in the garden." I froze. "Especially this one little bit in the woods." I swallowed and turned to Peeta but he already had his back to me and was talking to Evan.

"Peeta." I said and he ignored me. I felt my heart race as I stared at the back of his head.

It wasn't until later that night when I followed Peeta into his bedroom that he finally looked at me.

"I'm tired, Katniss." Peeta said roughly and I closed his door.

"So am I Peeta. I'm tired of you making excuses. Gale kissed me and I kissed him back because you haven't touched me in weeks!" I spill and Peeta sits on his bed. "Am I doing something wrong?" I ask desperately. "Are you not into me any more or something because I'd rather you just said than drag me along Peeta! This isn't fair on me!" I say loudly and Peeta hangs his head. "You don't love me anymore do you?" I ask my voice sounding strangled, Peeta looks up with wide eyes.

"No, oh god Katniss I mean yes, I mean I do! I love you!" He cries and sink down onto the bed next to him in relief. He pulls me against him and I whimper at his touch, my hands balling his t shirt. "Katniss, I am never going to not love you! I promise you! I won't leave you, Katniss." He whispers and I look up and slam my lips to his and he kisses back, both of us moaning in relief.

"So what is it?" I ask when I pull away.

"Its-I cant-I just..." Peeta stutters and I cup his cheek with my hand.

"What is it?" I ask and he blushes.

"I can't, you know, get it up." He mutters and I frown.

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused and he bites his lip.

"I can't...stand to attention." Peeta says embarrassed and I shrug my shoulders. "I can't get an erection, Katniss." He says finally and my mouth forms an 'o'.

"Oh, Peeta! Why didn't you just tell me!" I sigh and he scratches the back of his hair.

"It's embarrassing! We used to do it all the damn time and now I can't at all!" He falls back on the bed and I stay sat up.

"I don't care." I say finally and Peeta scoffs. "Peeta, I love you. I love you how you are. I don't care." I say and Peeta groans.

"You already had to give up so much because I have this stupid ugly thing." He indicates his prostethic leg. "I don't want you to have to give up children and sex as well." He sighs and I stand up.

"Okay, I guess I'll go fuck Gale then." I say and head for the door.

"What!" Peeta sits up in shock and I smile at him.

"I'm kidding!" I say and move back to him. "Peeta, I'm not giving anything up. I'm adjusting. Just like you are! I've never wanted children." I say and Peeta's eyes look sad before he regains his composure. "Not til you swept into my life and changed everything I thought was right, you showed me that it's okay to love someone as long as you're strong enough. I don't want to be without you ever again." I say and drop to my knees to kiss him deeply. "It was never just sex though was it." I whisper and he looks at me with a cocked head.

"How do you mean?" He asks and I brush his hair out of his eyes.

"I think I loved you from the start. It was always making love, Peeta." I admit and Peeta smiles at me.

"Look who's beeing cheesey now." He says before kissing me sweetly again. I pull away.

"One last thing though," he nods as he rubs the end of my plait between his fingers. "This is not stupid or ugly." I say, tapping the leg. He flinches. "Lay back." I say and he does so. "This leg is part of you, Peeta, so it's beautiful. Don't make it any less so." I push up his jeans to the buckle and take the leg off Peeta, he tries to cover up his stump but I glare at him and he stops. I have to admit it makes my stomach turn slightly. The thick stitches are still visible but I lean down and kiss every one of them.

"I love you, Katniss." He whispers and I smile at him and strip to my underwear before slipping between his covers.

"Good. Now get in here, hold me and let me finally sleep properly again!" I say and he pulls his top over his head befor shimmying out of his pants and joining me in bed.

"God I've missed this." He murmurs and I smile as I cuddle into his body, relishing the look, smell, feel sound and taste of everything that is Peeta.

_**A/N: Kate: As I said I am going to explain about our new buddy Louis! So basically, my dad was previously married to a woman who already had a son -Louis- he was almost one when my dad and his mum got married and a year after that she committed suicide because she was severely depressed. Louis was put into my dad's care because my dad was basically Louis' dad at that point. My dad and Louis moved over here to England when Louis was three and there my dad met my mum! when my mum got pregnant my dad insisted they got married because he didn't want everyone to feel that he just slept around! They weren't in love. Dad and Louis moved in with me and Mum and woo! Louis went travelling for a year and came back a week ago and found out my mum and dad were split up (yeah, he was pretty pissed off no one told him) and my parents told him he had the choice of who to live with. Louis chose to live with my mum and me because me and him are closer than he is with my dad and he is also 'concerned' about me after the thing with HARRY.**_

_**Louis: yeh, pretty much what Kate said, but she missed the point that her dad and my stepfather is a complete a***hole.**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N:**__**Yikes! Louis totally got pissed last night and came home with a black eye because some guy was cornering a girl in the bar and Louis didn't like it... awwwwwww...**_

_**So this chapter is basically a filler kind of thing andddddd if I get enough reviews... let's say three ( :O )**_ _**in the next hour I will post the next chapter which is Peeta's birthday chapter! there's a spoiler at the end of this chapter to encourage ya'll!**_

I smack Gale as he snickers.

"Remember, Gale, you're only welcome here until I want you gone. Watch your mouth." I throw a grape at him but he catches it and pops it in his mouth.

"Oh come on it's pretty funny, the kid can't even get a hard on to please you with!" I smack Gale just as Peeta wheels in using his wheelchair that Doctor makes him use three days a week. "And he's in a chair!" I smile at Peeta and he wheels over to us.

"Yet who's bed does she sleep in every night?" Peeta smirks at Gale as I lean down and kiss him good morning.

"Fair play, Mellark." Gale mutters and then wanders over to the calender that is stuck on the fridge. It's april and the picture is of Peeta when he's little, he's dressed as superman and posing with his hands in fists on his hips and looking to the side. It's adorable. "You're eighteen next week?" Gale asks and Peeta shifts uncomfortably.

"Yeah, but I don't enjoy my birthdays." He says and I glance at him, he has the haunted look in his eyes that he gets when he thinks of his bitch of a mother. I squeeze his shoulder and pass him a mug of coffee before gently pushing his chair to the table. I sit beside him and Gale sits opposite me.

"Eighteen is a big day. Are you having a party?" Gale asks, he's trying. I can see he's trying and so is Peeta.

"I'm not supposed to know but my buddies are arranging some sort of beach theme party thing." Peeta shrugs. "I'd rather just kick back and watch a film to be honest."

"Fair enough, will it be a big thing?" Gale asks and Peeta shrugs.

"Probably, Finnick's in charge so there will probably be fireworks and strippers." Peeta jokes and Gale snickers, I kick him under table.

"Ouch!" He complains and I glare at him. "You're being quiet, Catnip." I take note of the vein in Peeta's temple throb once when he says Catnip.

"I'm just thinking." I say vaguely and they both cock their heads at me at the same time. "We should get to physio, Peeta." Peeta nods as I change the subject. I stand up and go out to the front door to put the ramp Evan and Rye made on the steps so Peeta can get down and Peeta sits and watches me. I heave the wooden ramp int the right place and Peeta grabs my hands and pulls me to him so we can kiss.

"Why were you being quiet?" He asks as I push him awkwardly through the shingle to get to the jeep.

"Gale." I say and unlock the car. "He was being... Odd." Peeta looks confused for a second and then blushes when I help him into the car. He thanks me as I close the door and fold the chair to put in the back. I climb into the drivers seat and Peeta looks across at me as I start the engine. "Why was he asking so much about your party?"

"I thought it was strange but I just figured he was trying to make small talk." Peeta says reaching his hand to rest on my knee.

"But, Gale doesn't do small talk and if he did, why would it be about you? No offence, but surely he'd bring up football or baseball like guys do." I explain and Peeta shrugs.

"I honestly have no idea, Katniss. Maybe you're just reading into it too much." I glance at him and frown. "I'm just trying to be supportive, really I want him to fuck off out of my house and stop walking the way he does."

"How does he walk?" I ask confused and Peeta groans.

"Silently! He just appears sometimes and I don't hear him coming, it's...odd!" We both laugh a little and then sit in silence.

I park the jeep and pull the keys out of the ignition, I turn to Peeta and he looks at the small house.

"Okay?" I ask and Peeta continues to stare. "Peeta?" I ask and he looks across at me. "What's wrong?"

"Gale was in my room." He says quietly and I shift uncomfortably.

"Doing what?" I ask and Peeta shrugs.

"I don't know, he was walking out of my room when I got there and he said he was looking for you." Peeta says with a frown.

"When?" I ask.

"A couple of days ago I think. He hadn't touched anything so it's probably nothing." Peeta brushes it off and I sigh as I get out of the car, knowing that it's always something when Gale's involved.

"You did great, Peeta! She was really impressed!" I say enthusiastically as I help him into the car.

"I think she fancied me." He says with a smirk and I narrowed my eyes at him and then kissed him deeply.

"Well she can't have you." I say and shut his door before getting in the driver's side. "I'll drop you off home and then I'm going out to lunch." I say as casually as I can.

"Oh yeah, with Delly?" He asks and I nod. "Where are you going?"

"Not sure, I left it up to her to choose." I say knowing my voice is high.

"Oh right, that makes sense." Peeta knows I'm lying so I scrunch up my face. "Can you just make sure Finnick doesn't get strippers at the party." He requests and I huff.

"You knew the whole time I was helping!" He laughs and shrugs. "And I'm offended you'd think I'd let there be strippers there even if you asked for them." I say matter of factly and Peeta grins at me.

"What plans are there so far?" He asks curiously and I groan.

"I can't tell you!" I complain and Peeta sighs.

"That's a shame, I was thinking earlier how just because I can't get it up doesn't mean you have to suffer for it." He says casually and the burn between my legs is suddenly unbearable. "I mean my fingers still work right?" He asks and then runs his fingers up my bare thigh.

"Peeta..." I moan and he pushes his hand into my shorts via the leg hole.

"They still work don't they, baby?" He murmurs and I whimper suddenly, Peeta reaches over and tugs the steering wheel gently and I take my foot off the gas, stopping the jeep halfway up the drive. "Do my fingers work, baby?"

"Y-yes." I stutter and Peeta grins wildly but I see the apprehension in his eyes. "Peeta, we don't have to-oh!" my voice turns to a loud moan as Peeta touches my clit and my legs writhe.

"Climb into the back." Peeta demands and removes his hand, in a haze I slide between the two front seats and onto the back seats. Peeta has climbed out of the car and is now heaving himself into the back with me. "Take your shorts off, Katniss." Before he even finished the sentence I had my shorts at my knees and was pushing them off, desperate for Peeta's touch. "Come here, baby." His voice was tight but I couldn't bring myself to analyse it right now, instead I straddled his thighs as he pulled my underwear down and when they couldn't go any further he rolled us so I was laying on my back and him above me.

"Oh god, Peeta." I whisper when he starts to kiss the heel of my foot. Peeta trails kisses and his tongue down my leg and then nips at my centre and I cry out suddenly. I moan his name and Peeta responds by thrusting two fingers inside me so I moan loudly.

"I can't do this." Peeta cries suddenly and pulls his fingers from me. It takes me a few moments to pull my eyes open and see Peeta sat hunched over in the chair, his hands gripping at his hair.

"Peeta?" I ask and he looks at me with a pained expression on his face.

"Nothing." He mutters and my eyes fall to his crotch. My heart drops a little because part of me really hoped this would sort him out down there. I dress quickly and sidle up next to him.

"It's fine." I say and he turns and buries his face in my neck like a child would.

"It feels weird, Kat. Normally I'd have been aching down there, begging to pound you and now there's nothing! Literally, not even the slightest stir!" He cries out and I wrap my arms round him.

"It's okay! I don't need that, I've got you!" I insist and eventually he looks up at me.

"I could ask Finn." He whispers and I frown.

"Ask him what?"

"If he'd do it." Peeta says quietly and I rack my brains.

"Do what?" I ask.

"You." I sigh and kiss him deeply.

"I don't want Finnick! I don't want anyone but you! If I can't get you then, tough luck! I don't want anyone but you, Peeta!" I say and he presses his forehead to mine.

"Promise?" He asks and I nod.

"I love you!" I say and he smiles a little.

"I love you so much, Katniss!" He exclaims.

"Glad you could make it, Agent Everdeen." Finnick retorts as I burst into the swimming centre reception.

"Sorry, there was a drama!" I apologise and everyone shrugs, Delly hugs me quickly and then looks me straight in the eye. "Peeta went down on me." I whisper and Delly beamed.

"That's great!" She says and I shake my head.

"It lasted like ten seconds before he backed out. He didn't even stir, nothing!" I say and Delly sighs.

"How'd Peet's physio go?" Gerry moves over to us, giving me a quick hug.

"Good, he's walking better but, he keeps getting frustrated when it doesn't go how he wants it to." I inform him and Gerry nods.

"How long has it been then?" Delly asks and I glance at Gerry and blush. "He won't tell, he's secretly one of the girls anyway." Gerry sticks his tongue at her and then pouts like a girl so I laugh.

"Nearing three months now." I say and Gerry grimaces while Delly gasps. "Including the time we were both going crazy in the hospital." I add, trying to make it sound better but Delly hugs me quickly.

"Oh god! You poor thing!" She sympathises and Gerry gives me a sympathetic look. "How are you surviving without anything!" She asks and I shrug.

"I don't know, I don't really think about it." I admit and Delly nods.

"I could help." Delly says and Gerry's eyes widen quickly. "Not like that, Gerry!" His eyes go back to normal. "My friend works at the sex shop." Gerry's eyes widen again but Delly doesn't notice his wide eyes or my blush. "I could get you a dildo." She says and my mouth drops open. Gerry takes a deep breath and shakes his head.

"I'm done!" He says, surrendering with his hands. "I can deal with listening to girls talk about Bieber, The Notebook, hair, nails, whatever. But dildos is an unfair play." He mutters and walks off. Delly and I look at each other and burst out laughing.

"I'm okay, Delly." I inform her and she shrugs before we move to the desk where Finnick is haggling with the girl at the desk.

"Oh go on! We just need a couple of life guards, palm trees, beach balls, floats and stuff! Go on! For me!" He flirts and the girl rolls her eyes and then sees Gerry and smirks.

"I'll do it for him." She says and Gerry looks up from his phone.

"Huh?" He says and everyone giggles.

"I'll sort it all out for you if he is in the pool, topless in ten minutes." She declares and everyone cheers.

"For fifty?" Finnick checks and she pulls a face.

"We usually do seventy-five." She says and Finnick reaches over and lifts Gerry's top, much to his shock. "Fifty it is!" She says and her and Finnick shake.

"Did I just sell my body?" Gerry asks and everyone laughs.

"No, I sold your body! Right everyone in the pool then let's go!" Finnick demands and I shake my head.

"No swimming gear, I'll sit out on this one." I say and Delly agrees so the guys pull off their shirts and throw them at us. "This is cruel." I whisper to Delly as we observe Gerry, Finnick, Sam, Jude and Harry's bodies.

"Yeah well, take your eyes off Sam, he's mine." She mutters and Sam grins and they start making out.

"I thought we were swimming not playing tonsel hockey!" Jude mutters and I smile. Jude is Delly's cousin and doesn't say much but when he does it's hilarious.

The guys then run off into the pool area to discard their flip flops and Delly and I move to the seating area beside the pool. We watch as Finnick climbs the diving board and does a flip into the water, making zero splash and comes up grinning. Jude and Sam find a ball and start hitting to each other while Gerry just bobs around.

"Oi! Gerry, get up here!" Finnick shouts from the top board and Gerry obediently makes his way up.

"Oh god!" Delly exclaims when she sees the two on the highest board.

"What?" I question and she sighs.

"Last time Finn took Gerry up there, Gerry came down with a broken nose!" I laugh as Gerry dive bombs and everyone squeals as we get splashed. Finnick follows performing a crazy twist and flip.

"Hello, stranger." I turn suddenly at the british accent and grin when Jacob sits beside me, dripping wet.

"Hello, british kid with a scottish relative who is living in America!" We both grin and I can't help but let my eyes travel over his smooth body.

"What brings you to the pool?" He asks and I explain about Peeta's birthday. "Cool, how is the boss?" He asks and I explain again. "Damn, life is a bitch." He mutters and I agree.

"What brings you to the pool?" I ask and he shrugs.

"I'm on a date I guess." He sighs and I smile.

"That's great!" I say and he smirks.

"Not exactly, she's hitting it off with the lifeguard." Jacob says and points to where a lifeguard is flirting with a pretty blonde.

"Shit, that's cruel." I say and Jacob shrugs.

"I'm Delly by the way!" Delly elbows me and I apologise.

"Jacob." He introduces himself and holds a hand out to her, she gives him hers and they shake across me then carry on holding the other's hand for a little too long. "Well, I'm going to go get dressed." Jacob informs us and I smile at him.

"Or you could just stay sat here like that." Delly flirts and he smirks at her and sits back in his chair.

"Del! Baby!" We all look across at Sam who is standing on Jude's shoulders and wave at him.

"Who's that?" Jacob asks and Delly grimaces.

"My boyfriend." She says and Jacob nods.

"He seems... Mature." Jacob takes a dig at Sam and we look back over to where Sam is now in a splashing war with a kid who looks about seven years old.

"He's good in bed." Delly shrugs and Jacob smiles.

"Well if that's the only reason you're with a guy why don't you come back to mine." Jacob flirts with her and I sit between them awkwardly.

"You seem awfully sure you're good in bed." Delly teases and Jacob nods.

"Well why don't you come and find out some time?" Jacob responds easily and Delly giggles. "I'm going to get going now." He states and then leaves before Delly can say anything.

"He wants you to follow him." I tell her and she waves at Sam.

"I know." She says and I look at her confused.

"Do you like him?" I ask after a minute or so.

"He seems nice to talk to." She say thoughtfully and I nod.

"I'm going to go get some fresh air." I mutter and move outside.

The sun is blinding so I use my hand to shield my face and look around until I see Jacob stood by a motorbike.

"Two times in a day, I'm a lucky kid." Jacob smirks at me before he inclines his cigarette towards me and I take it. "What's the story with Delly?" He asks and I shrug.

"Rich kid, good at everything, amazing personality, couldn't hurt a fly." I say and continues to smoke Jacob's cigarette.

"I like her." He says thoughtfully and I nod. "She seems genuine." He adds.

"The most genuine person you could meet." I say and lean against his bike. Gerry is walking towards us with a pissed off look on his face.

"You smoke." He says angrily and I glance at the cigarette.

"Occassionally." I respond and he shakes his hair out for a second. "What's up Gerard?" I ask and he seems to be sizing Jacob up.

"Peeta called, he asked me to sleep with you." I sigh.

"Right well, no thank you." I retort and Gerry stares at Jacob.

"Obviously you already have someone to sleep with." He says and I tense.

"I'm not sleeping with Jacob! I'm stealing his cigarette!" I say irritated then turn to Jacob. "I'll see you around, yeah? Come to Peeta's party, I'll send you an invite." Jacob gives a half hearted salute before straddling his bike.

"Nice to meet you, Gerard." Jacob says before putting his helmet on and driving away.

"Why is Peeta so convinced I need someone to sleep with?" I ask and Gerry suddenly looks apologetic.

"I'm guessing he just feels you know, useless. I don't know how he thinks, but if it was me I would feel like every time we kissed you wanted me, so I'd give you more and you'd want more then it would come to sex and nothing is happening." Gerry shrugs and I sigh.

"It's weird," I say as I stub out the cigarette and wave at the others who are walking out from the centre. "It doesn't bother me." Gerry frowns at me like he doesn't believe me and I smile. "I mean sure, I miss sex and being that close to Peeta but, that's why it meant so much. I got to be that close to him! Each time he kisses me I still find it impossible not to smile." I admit and Gerry has a wide smile on his face.

"We got the stuff!" Finnick yells and I turn to where he is pretending to pull open the doors to the jeep I brought. Gerry and I start to head over but Finnick pulls the door suddenly and the alarm starts to blare. Finnick leaps about three metres away and I have to squat to the ground so I don't wet myself from laughter before I sort the car out.

_**A/N: LOUIS': **__**So our dear Kate has given me the chance to tell you all the spoiler and so the spoiler for next chapter will be... You finally find out why Gale is back all of a sudden, and let's just say he is NOT back to help Katniss through the loss of Prim. BOOM. three reviews in the next half hour and you get that chapter TONIGHT!  
**__**Kate: **__**Well, there's your spoiler! Gale!**_


	14. Chapter 14: Not such a nice Guy

_**A/N:**__** I'm making it clear that I don't think Gale is such a dick in our beloved trilogy however, when Louis mentioned this idea I thought it was just too insane not to put in my insane Fanfiction :D**_

_**Also, let's all shout at Louis. "upload chapter fourteen" i said "sure thang" he said, he uploads chapter four. -_- . boys.**_

I take a minute to look around. I'm sat ontop of the Mellark's gaming room roof, it has a ping pong table, arcade games, snooker, pool and just about anything men would play with their buddies.

Finnick, Gerry, Sam, Rye and Evan are sorting out the swimming pool by pretty much turning it into a beach. The pool house is on the other side of the garden but I can see what they're doing because huge floodlights are on in the garden. A huge tarpaulin was spread across most of the garden and then covered in sand to create the feel of a beach and I've been put on duty to hang some buntin on the games house roof.

"Mind if I join you?" I turn suddenly to Gale who is scaling the tree I used to get up here.

"Go for it." I say and he steps across onto the roof and sits beside me, a little too close for my comfort. "Nice outfit." I say and he smiles a little. The dress code to Peeta's eighteenth was beach formal so Gale has opted for a tshirt that mocks the top half of a tuxedo and a pair of swim shorts.

"You don't look to bad yourself." He says and I smile. Delly had pretty much forced me to wear a bikini that on each breast cup and the front and back of the bottoms the words 'Peeta Mellark's' and a pair of painfully high heels however, I have one of Peeta's dress shirts on top that you can still see the words on the bikini through. "Apart from the whole Peeta Mellark's business." Gale adds and I nibble my lip. "Don't bite your lip, Catnip." Gale murmurs and I frown.

"Why?" I ask and Gale smirks at me with hooded eyes.

"It's unbelievably sexy." He practically whispers and my mind starts screaming at me to joke and run.

"Well sorry, Christian Grey but, I got to go join the party!" I say and Gale laughs as I move towards the tree.

"The things I'd do to you if I were." I hear him mutter and I literally run away from him.

"Woah!" I bump into Jacob as he rounds a corner of the house and I stifle a scream.

"Sorry!" I pant and then let my eyebrows shoot up when Delly appears next to him. "Did I interrupt..." I trail off and Jacob shakes his head.

"We were honestly just talking!" He explains and I nod. "What's got your knickers in a twist?" He asks with amusement and I roll my eyes.

"Gale." I say and they both look horrified. "Ohmygod! No! I mean he's beeing all creepy! Jesus you two!" They visibly relax and I look round the corner to where everyone is standing. "You guys look great by the way!" I say quickly. Delly's in a bikini and high heels while Jacob is in swim shorts, a dress shirt and a bow tie. They wave me off and I quickly slip into the house and head to Peeta's room.

I open the door and see Peeta looking out of his bedroom window so I creep up behind him and wrap my arms around his torso.

"Happy birthday, baby." I whisper and he turns himself round and holds me tightly.

"Jesus, are you even wearing anything under my shirt?" He asks shocked and I step back and lift the shirt up for him. "Fucking hell, Katniss." He groans and I smile. "I like this." He gives me his approval of my bikini set by tracing the lettering on the right bra cup.

"Peeta..." I moan and he leans down and kisses me thoroughly on the lips. It kills me to have to break away and he looks upet that I've pulled back. "Everyone is here, baby." I tell him and he nods.

"Fine, but tonight I fully expect to be allowed unrestricted access to your body." He tells me as we link hands and move out of his room.

"Sure, sounds do-able." I tease and he smirks as we walk down the stairs slowly. He's better on his prosthetic but not quite perfect just yet so it takes him a little longer to get down and up stairs. "Okay, ready?" I ask and he takes a deep breath while we step outside and into the mass of screaming.

"Down a bit, oh jesus, right there Peeta!" I murmur and push into his hands.

"Too deep?" He asks and I shake my head.

"You guys sound so wrong!" Finnick yells at us from inside the pool and I open my eyes and glare at him. "I know it's only a massage, but seriously! Stop it right now!" He reprimands us and Peeta laughs before pulling me back into his chest on the sun lounger.

My back is flush with his front as I sit between his legs and we just chill out while everyone else gets drunk or high. It's actually pretty ironic how most of the people here are under eighteen and drinking and Peeta just turned eighteen but he hasn't had a second beer yet.

"Do you want a drink?" I ask and Peeta considers this.

"Ummmm, sure. I guess." I shuffle away from Peeta but he grabs my face and kisses me suddenly. "Thank you." He whispers and I scrunch up my nose before standing up and clicking away in my high heels. "I love you!" Peeta calls and I turn round and stick my tongue out at him.

To avoid the mass of gyrating teenagers I move right round the edge of the dancing group and take the long way to the drinks area where I see Jacob leaning on the table and Delly standing close to him with one leg between his.

"Delly, sweetie, Sam's been looking for you." I tell her and she sighs.

"Right, so he can fuck me against a tree again!" She declares and I turn to her and revaluate what's happening. Delly is drunk and Jacob is holding her elbows to keep her steady. "Son of a bitch!" She yells and I reach into the beer bucket for a couple of cold beers.

"What do you mean?" I ask and Jacob grimaces.

"Ya know he wants to watch me with you!" She hisses at me and I squint at her. "He wants us to fuck in front of him and he wants to watch Gerry and Finnick fuck me and he doesn't play nice with me!" She pouts and I look at her shocked.

"She's been like this for half an hour after she came stumbling out of the woods with him." Jacob tells me and I pull a face. "It's fine, I've got her."

"Don't be an arse." I warn him and he gives me a sad look.

"You really think I'm that guy?" Jacob questions and I smile and punch his arm lightly. "Oh by the way, Gale's been asking round for you." I groan and turn to the pool house where I see Gale walking away from it towards me, Peeta is sat bolt upright in the sun lounger staring at the back of Gale.

"Cheers! Time to dance!" I laugh awkwardly and move into the mass of people to get away from Gale.

There's a lot of elbowing going on so I don't turn when something prods into my back. But after a minute I turn slowly and stare up at Gale.

"You need to come with me!" He yells over the music. "I'm going to get you out of here!" He smiles broadly and I turn around to face him properly. "Come on, Catnip!" He says and then I see the hand gun and I try to back away. His face changes and he turns off the safety lock as he cocks his head at me sadly. "Please don't make me use this!" He requests and I nod dumbly, he takes my hand and leads me out of the mass. I try to catch someone, anyones eye but no one glances at me.

"Gale, p-please." I stutter when we leave the group and he turns to me suddenly.

"I didn't mean to, Catnip! I tried to make it right but they wanted more from your family!" His face is frantic now and I try desperately to understand him.

"What do you mean?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"No! Not yet!" He yells and I feel my heart racing. "I didn't know he was your dad! I didn't know! I swear!" My breathing rate increses as Gale swings the gun around in his hand loosely. "Shit!" He swears and then points the gun straight into my chest, his face emotionless. "Do I need to shoot you?" He asks and I shake my head slowly. "Good, let's move. Where can we talk?" He demands and I look towards the game house and Gale nods approvingly.

He walks beside me with his arm round my shoulders, the gun pressed into my side as I try to work out what the fuck is going on. We get inside the games house and Gale turns the lock.

"Cosy." He mutters and I stare at him. "Sit down." He demans as he lowers himself into a chair and I sit in the one opposite. "You're next on my list, Miss. Everdeen." He sneers and I stare at him in confusion and watch is his face becomes desperate again and he starts to flap the gun around. "Shit! No! Don't listen! I won't hurt you I swear, Catnip!" Gale stands suddenly and points the gun towards me with a shaking hand. "I swear I didn't know who he was! I never know! Not until Prim! I knew it was her! It was just another hit!" He screams and I feel my mouth go dry. "Do you believe me?" He asks and I nod. "Oh thank god! Good! We can talk! I can explain!" He looks pleased.

I glance outside when Gale is sitting down, no one is even remotely interested in the games house with it's lights turned off.

"I was born to do it! I had no choice! It was join the force or die! It seemed easy enough, drive the car into the guy in the folder, go to base, sorted! But it wasn't that easy! I started thinking who he was and I read the papers! 'Mr Everdeen, killed in a hit and run leaving his wife and two daughters' that's what they said so, I couldn't leave you!" He smiles at me and I feel the anger boiling inside me. "I came and I helped! We worked together! They didn't need me for big jobs, I was just sardine! But then they said I had got too close to the line, I had to die they said!" He raises the gun to his temple and mimicks being shot. "Only they didn't mean in real life! I'm still here! It was all a plan though, Catnip! They wanted the Everdeen's gone! I knew it was Prim, of course I knew, they have a little picture in the folder." He uses his spare hand to roughly show me the size of the picture but I couldn't focus on it. "I had to do it. I thought hey, let's get that fucking Mellark too! So I set it up!" He seems proud and I want to kill him right now. "It was pretty easy, Peeta drives careful so one car to distract, a second to mame, mine to kill." Gale shrugs indifferently and then looks across at me with a level gaze. "I have to kill you now." He says and raises the gun up to my head, he moves forward so the gun is between my eyes and I can't help it when I swat him away, it's a stupid reflex.

Gale grabs my hand and pulls me to the floor and I start to scream and fight him, punching and kicking but I feel his weight lower ontop me and he pins my arms to my sides using his legs.

"I love it when they fight." He murmurs, his eyes filled with lust. "But this, just makes it unbearable." He brushes his hand over my shirt and I want to pukewhen he tears it from my body. "Shame it has his name on." He says calmly before ripping my top from my body, I gasp and Gale quickly stuffs the bikini in my mouth so I can't speak. "So. Much. Better." He makes an animal noise and I watch in horror as he leans across me, placing the gun above my head, then he drags one hand down my face and across my breasts and I start to wriggle and fight against him but he smirks and stuffs his other hand into his own shorts with a grunt of pleasure. "Oh god Katniss." He groans and I feel tears start to cascade down the side of my face as he gropes my breasts. "Oh my god!" He says suddenly and I stare at him. "Let's play a game!" He practically squeals and I freeze in horror as he reaches for the gun again, he presses the barrel under my chin and moves off my body quickly. "Take them off." He demands and with shaking hands I do so. Then he sits bewteen my legs and gazes at me. "If you had just fucked me before, this wouldn't have happened!" He says and starts to drag the gun down my body, I'm starting to sweat with shear terror but I freeze when the barrel of the gun slips between my folds, I shake my head and try to fight but I hear the click of the gun and freeze again. "Holy shit." He murmurs and then stands up to push his shorts down, his erection springing free. "You see what you do to me, baby?" He whispers and then kneels between my legs again. "Here's the deal, you move and I pull the trigger." He says bluntly and then I make a stifled scream as the guns barrel enters me and Gale grunts in pleasure.

I fall into a type of shell shock because I don't move when the gun is in me, I don't move when he removes it and I don't move when he thrusts himself inside me. I lay on my back, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, only aware of Gale pressed against me. He leans down and bites my shoulder so much that my eyes spring open and he smirks at me before I watch him come inside of me.

He moves out of me suddenly and starts screaming at someone but I can't move. He's standing up and pulling his shorts up, the gun pointing to the door of the games house as his mouth moves in screams. He shoots sideways and runs and he's gone.

**Peeta's P.O.V**

"Have you seen, Catnip?" I stare up at Gale as he towers over me.

"Katniss? She just left. Why?" I can feel everyone in the pool staring at us and I sit up straight.

"No reason for you to be concerned with." He says with a smirk and leaves, I watch his back as he walks away.

"What was that about?" Finnick appears next to me, dripping wet and I feel a sense of uneasiness wash over me.

"Finn, help me find Katniss." I say shakily and he gives me an odd look. "Please." I beg and Finnick helps me up.

"What's going on?" He asks as my head snaps around trying to find her. "Peeta?"

"Something is wrong." I say quickly and Finnick sighs. "She should have come back to the pool by now."

"Peet, chill out she's probably talking to someone!" He tries to calm me and I turn and face him dead on.

"You remember how you described how you felt when Annie gets bad? When you weren't with her but you knew they were injecting her with stabilisers?" Finnick nods slowly. "Tell me!" I try not to yell.

"Like I'm running a marathon without moving, sweating, panting and shaking." He says quietly and I hold my hands out and Finnick watches them shake madly.

"Something is wrong!" I say frantcically and he nods.

"I'll ask Jacob, he's at the drinks table." Finnick suggests and we moves towards Jacob quickly.

"Happy Birthday Boss!" He says and I look around desperately.

"Have you seen Katniss?" Finnick asks and I look at Jacob.

"Yeah, I told her that Gale was looking for her and she darted into the dance crowd to avoid him." He explains calmly and I feel my body start to tremble.

"Where's Gale now?" Finnick asks as he spins his head round to look.

"He followed her in." I grasp at Finnick's arm and Finnick nods quickly. "What's going on?" Jacob stands up suddenly from leaning on the table.

"Katniss isn't okay." Finnick says loudly.

"How do you know?" Jacob asks slowly and I hold my hand out in some kind of explanation. "Are you high?" He asks and I look through the dance crowd desperately.

"When you love someone you know something is wrong!" Finnick yells and Jacob stares at my shaking hand.

"I'll help look." He declares and the three of us start to scan the dancing group.

"She isn't there!" I scream suddenly and Finnick grabs a random guy to ask him.

"Neither is Gale." Jacob adds quietly and I have the sudden need to burst into tears.

"I feel sick." I cry and Finnick returns.

"They went that way!" He shouts and points towards the game house. We all squint at the games house but I can only see darkness.

"Can you guys see anything?!" I beg and Jacob squints more.

"Shit! Gun! I see a gun!" He yells and my legs bend suddenly and Jacob and Finnick catch me. They start to drag me towards the games house but it seems Gerry gets there first. He's screaming and I see Gale stand up suddenly and point the gun at Gerry who starts to move round the side, Gale's gun following him. It's almost surreal when the gun fires and shatters the glass, Gerry stands still for a few seconds and then drops to his knees, he looks down and then falls on his side.

"Oh fuck!" Finnick screams and we watch Gale run out of the shattered window and into the woods quickly.

"Ambulance please." Jacob is already on the phone, Finnick is now running to the games house he gets to the door and finds it locked so runs round to Gerry.

My eyes snap to Katniss and feel Jacob start to drag me up the small incline to the games house, when we get close enough to see her laying naked and sprawled on the floor I lean forward and puke violently.

"Help! Someone!" Jacob and Finnick scream in unison and a couple of guys start yelling, the music is cut off and people start to appear and scream. I don't think when I step forward and punch the glass door, my fist instantly bursting with blood. I move like a zombie towards Katniss and stand looking at her, her eyes closed.

"Oh shit!" Jacob swears and drops next to Katniss, he presses his ear to her mouth and starts speaking to her but my eyes are stuck on the floor between her legs where a mixture of blood and semen is pooling. I'm vaguely aware of my dad talking to me but I drop to my knees awkwardly and gaze at Katniss.

"Where the fuck is the ambulance!" Rye's voice rings in my ears as I raise a hand to Katniss' cheek. Everyone is gathering around and the only thing rushing through my brain is everyone seeing my baby naked so I pull off my t shirt and drape it over her torso uselessly.

I don't know how long I kneel beside Katniss, watching her carefully until a paramedic appears beside me.

"Hello love! What's your name? Can you tell me your name sweetie?" The man talks to her and she doesn't respond.

"Her name is Katniss Everdeen." Jacob tells the paramedic. "Can I help?" He asks and the paramedic moves to by her legs.

"What's your name son?" The paramedic asks.

"Jacob." He tells him and the paramedic nods.

"Talk to her, keep her sane as best you can."

* * *

I find the waiting room quite interesting, in a way that makes me never want to sit here again. Everyone is doing something different. Finnick is practically rocking forwards and backwards in the seat next to me, Dad is sat bolt upright staring into space, Evan is stood in the corner of the waiting room, Rye is pretending to read a magazine about dieting when in reality he isn't even looking at the pages, Jacob is sat with his head between his knees , his elbows against his ears and his hands on the back of head making a beat, Gerry's Dad has his arm around Gerry's mum as they sob quietly waiting for him to get out of surgery while Gerry's sister looks after their siblings.

Personally, I'm just trying not to break down because all I want to do is scream as loud as I can and cry and punch someone (GALE) repeatedly. Instead I'm sitting silently. I can feel myself ticking though.

"Peeta..." My dad says and I stand up and leave. No doubt it was the wrong thing to do but, I couldn't sit there any longer.

I don't know where I'm walking until I stop in front of a room and look in to find Katniss laying in a hospital gown alone. I slip through the door and click it shut behind me, Katniss appears to be sleeping so I quietly move to the bottom of her bed and slip the folder out from the metal holder. I know this is illegal but I have to know what he did. When I first saw her I thought she was dead.

_Katniss Fern Everdeen_

_18 yrs_

_Mother: Emily Jane Everdeen: Deceased._

_Father:_ _Matthew Paul Everdeen:Deceased._

_Sister:_ _Primrose Natalia Everdeen:Deceased._

_No other known relations._

This alone tears me apart because she really is alone without me. I flip the page.

_Admitted 23:36 via ambulance. Sustaining severe bleeding in vagina requiring six stitches. Rape kit_ _shows semen and gun powder in vaginal areas. Suspected trauma._

_Regular pain killers. Rest. No strenuous activity._

I feel my jaw starts to tense. Severe bleeding. Six stitches. Semen. Gun powder. Gun powder? What the fuck does that mean?

I clatter the folder back into it's holder and realise Katniss is looking at me with distant eyes. I move to her side quickly. I open my mouth to speak but no words seem to fit what she needs. I'm petrified if I touch her she will flinch away from me so we just stare at each other for a long while.

A nurse comes in and seems horrified I'm in here.

"Katniss, sweetie, how do you feel?" The nurse asks and Katniss doesn't respond, the nurse goes about her check ups. "You aren't supposed to be in here," she says and I rack my brain for an excuse. "But, every other male to enter has sent her over the edge. You must be special, dear." The elderly nurse smiles and pushes me back into a chair before shuffling behind me and shoving chair up against the hospital bed.

"Thank you." I croak and she smiles before leaving. "I dont-I cant-I just-tell me what to say, or do, Katniss." I whimper but she doesn't look at me. I hold onto the bars on the bed and rest my forehead on my hands. I feel what seems to be a butterfly land on my hands and I lift my head to see Katniss' pinky finger resting on my pinky finger. I hook mine round hers gently and I hear her sigh slightly, my heart raising.

"Don't leave." She whispers so quiet I can barely hear her.

"I won't. I'm right here, Kat." I murmur and she frowns deeply.

"Please. Don't leave me alone again."She strains her voice and my heart aches, I long to wrap her in my arms but I can see it isn't what she's ready for yet.

"Never. I promise." I vow to her and she looks at me for about one second before closing her eyes shut again. When I feel tiredness start to hover over me I quickly glance at my phone, I've been sat like this for two hours and I have a text from Finnick.

_**Finn**_

_**Don't let them inject her.**_

_**Please.**_

I feel bad for Finnick and reply telling him I won't before I slip into sleep.

I wake up suddenly after being hit by something sharp and heavy, I instantly see Katniss in the corner screaming and a metal bowl rattling on the floor - she must have thrown it.

"Katniss! Sweetie!" I try but her eyes are manic and she looks crazy. A nurse bustles in and I see the syringe. "Nonono! Don't!" I yell and the nurse looks at me shocked then back at the screaming Katniss. "Please!" I beg and she looks unsurely at me. "I'll stop her I swear!"

"Quickly." She mutters and I rush to Katniss she instantly claws at my face but I don't even register it as I grasp her face in my hands and force her to look at me.

"Katniss. Stop. I'm here. No one will hurt you now." I say clearly and she clutches at my hands. "Stop fighting me, Katniss! Please! I love you!" On the last sentence she stops her thrashing legs and gazes at me with a slight nod. I slip one arm around her back and the other under her knees and lift her carefully, slowly on my porsthetic leg. She is rigid first of all but then she melts against my body, I lay her on her bed but she refuses to let go of me.

"Please hold me." She cries desperately and I instantly climb into the bed beside her. She uses my left arm as a pillow and I wrap my right arm around her waist tightly. "I'm sor-" she starts and I cut her off.

"Don't you dare say sorry. Don't you god damn dare, baby. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I let you go. I'm sorry it took me so long to find you. I love you." I whisper into her hair and she sobs a little.

"How did you know?" She asks quietly and I hold my hand up.

"I had the shakes and I was sweating and panting and couldn't breathe and I could barely walk. I just knew." I tell her and she presses herself backwards against me.

"Thank you." She whispers. I hold her tightly but not too tightly and we listen to the beep of her monitor until I can't hold back an longer.

"What did he do, Katniss?" I ask and she doesn't reply so I try to lean over and see if she's asleep but she must think I'm moving away from her because she clutches me and I drop back down and hold onto her again.

* * *

I wake up and feel my whole body ache and my leg stasbbing with pain so I manouver myself out of Katniss' arms and out of the bed, stretching tall and gazing at her. There's a light tapping on the door and then it opens and Finnick pops his head in cautiously.

The poor guy looks dreadful. His eyes are blood shot, his face red, his hair a mess and his lips saw from him chewing them.

"Gerry's out." He says quietly and I stand there waiting. "He wants to see you, he's okay." Finnick looks like he's going to cry and I feel myself rushing to him and our arms wrap around each other in a huge hug, our faces buried into the other's top as we try to keep our emotions under control but find it hard to.

"Finnick." We turn to Katniss' voice and Finnick doesn't hesitate when he moves to her quickly and she sits up, their arms wrapping round each other tightly.

"Don't you dare do that again okay?" He warns her, his voice wobbling and I hear Katniss' breath hitch. "I've been freaking out so damn much, I want to kill him as soon as they find him." I frown but Finn doesn't elaborate.

"I'm sor-" Katniss starts and Finnick makes a growling noise.

"If you say it I swear to god I will put you on the naughty step!" He tries to be funny but they both end up sobbing while I stand and watch in awe at their friendship. "Gerry wants to see you." Finnick says once they both calm down and pull away, Katniss frowns.

"Gerry got there first and Gale, well Gale shot him." There's no other way to explain it so I'm just blunt and Katniss looks horrified. "He's okay." I add quickly and she nods and starts to stand up before wincing and my entire stomach tightens.

"I-I-I don't think I can walk." She whispers painfully and I clench my jaw and go into the hall and sit in a wheel chair before wheeling it back in.

"Come here." I say gently and she looks hesitant but she lowers herself into my lap. It takes a few attempts for her to get comfortable but when she does she leans back into me and Finnick pushes us both in the wheel chair.

There's a police officer stood in the hallway and Finnick explains to him and he insists on escorting us to Gerry's room. A doctor is coming out of the room when we get there and he is pulling off a bloodied pair of gloves, he barely sees us as he rushes somewhere else.

The police officers stay outside and talk as Finn wheels Katniss and I into Gerry's room.

From being down low I can't really see him so Katniss and I stand up carefully.

Gerry's hair is messy, his eyes closed with his lips slightly parted. A thin hospital cover I up to his waist and he is bandaged up in his left shoulder.

"Gerry?" I hear Finnick say quietly and Gerry's eyes open slowly as if he's unsure he wants to see who is here. When he sees us he breaks into a smile and we all hear Katniss sigh in relief.

"Hey you two!" Gerry says, his voice partially laced with anasthaetic so he sounds sleepy. "I'm fine, okay? Look at me, I'm doing great!" Gerry tries to convince Katniss but she stands solid on the spot, the only movement is her trembling lip. "Hey, don't do that, don't cry!" Gerry says and pushes himself up to sitting slowly, wincing a lot. "Come here, I need a hug!" He says and Katniss moves to him instantly. She sits on the edge of the bed and then lifts her legs and turns so she folds onto Gerry's side. He wraps his arms around her and I can't help thinking that they look good together.

"Stop it." I turn my head to Finnick who is giving me an annoyed look.

"Stop what?" I feign innocence and he punches my arm lightly.

"Peeta," Finnick says quietly and I move closer to him and he speaks into my ear. "I heard nurses talking, they said Katniss was penetrated by a gun." Finnick mumbles and I feel my fists tighten and then I squeak in sudden pain as I raise my hand and see blood begin to seep out of my knuckles. "Peeta! When the hell did that happen!" Finnick grabs my hand and I frown at it.

"I punched the window, it didn't hurt but now it sort of does." I mutter and Finnick calls a nurse to come and bandage my hand up, she removes a shard of glass and tells me it was the adrenalin that stopped me feeling it.

_**A/N: Louis: ****ok... im sorry... i made a mistake... but, i was tired... and i was busy...**_


	15. Chapter 15: Getting back to normal

_****_******A/N:****so, sorry again. I'm in an argument with Louis therefore, I'm uploading this secretly while he is in the shower! :O**

The first week Katniss came home was painful. She walked through the front door and up the stairs, into her room and locked the door. I followed her up and I sank down the wall beside her door, I'd talk to her but, she wouldn't answer. Katniss let Melissa and Delly go in and see her so I knew she was okay but it tore me apart every time the door unlocked for one of them and then locked straight after her. I only saw her when she emerged to pee or shower and even then she wouldn't look at me.

The second week I noticed that after Delly left, the door didn't lock again. I gave it a few minutes then opened the door slowly and looked in. Katniss was curled into a ball on her bed, the sheets wrapped around her as her eyes burned into a photograph of her and Prim. I closed the door and locked it then got into bed with her, I was on my back staring at the ceiling and she was facing away from me staring at Prim and we didn't touch but she knew I was there.

Now we're halfway through the third week and it's like Katniss has a billion minds. One moment she is silent then next she is screaming at anyone who's there, one moment she is locking her door the next she is silently sliding into bed beside me, one moment she is clinging to me, desperate for my touch and never releasing me the next moment she is jumping away like I'm fire.

I understand how much she is conflicted but it still hurts me every time I find the door locked or she screams at me for not letting Max out or Katniss refuses to be near me.

I try to explain this to Finnick as we sit in my games room playing on the Xbox and he nods in total understanding.

"When Annie went on her new meds they messed her emotions up, I remember this one time we were in bed and you know, we were going for it! She was on top and I could barely breathe she was going so hard, then she slapped me and burst into tears for slapping me then climbed off me, sat in my cupboard and didn't say a word." Finnick explains and I watch his face contort.

"What did you do?" I ask and he smirks at me.

"I got in the cupboard beside her and I sat there for five hours. It killed me, Peeta, not because Annie would act like I wasn't there but, because I didn't know how to get her back. That's how it's different Peet." Finnick pauses the game and looks at me. "Katniss has never left you."

"It feels like she has." I say quietly and Finnick shakes his head.

"I would go weeks where Annie genuinely didn't know or care who I was. She's ill I get it but, Katniss is trying to reach you Peeta." I frown now and Finnick leans towards me. "She is trying so hard to let you in, each night she gets into your bed or she let's you in hers, she is probably fighting the urge to run because she's terrified you'll do something to her. Think about it Peeta, she loves you and she needs you but she doesn't know how to show you anymore."

"So what do I do?" I ask in defeat and Finnick smiles.

"You're already doing it by showing her you love her."

I wake up early the next morning to lift some weights in the gym room and as I sit up in bed I start when I see Katniss sat cross legged watching me.

"Jesus, you scared the crap out of me!" I exclaim and she smiles a tiny little smile. "Why aren't you under the covers?"

"I didn't want to wake you up." She said quietly and I fall backwards into bed again.

"I'm awake now." I say carefully and she practically dives under the covers beside me.

"Can I-um-can you hold me, Peeta?" She asks and I turn my head to look at her.

"Katniss, you don't have to ask." I lift an arm up. "Come here." She shuffles along the bed to cuddle into my side as I slowly lower my arm and hold onto her."How are you feeling?" I ask after a few minutes.

"I feel... Good." Katniss decides and I run my fingers along her bare arm that hugs my chest. "I miss you." She whispers and my heart plunges.

"I'm right here baby. You know I am." I say quietly and I feel her body tense suddenly. "Please don't leave me again." I hear myself beg and her breathing becomes faster and deeper. She sits up on my bed suddenly and I sit up slightly, my weight on my elbows. She is gazing at my chest, her lips parted slightly and a small frown creasing her forehead.

"Peeta," she whispers and she looks into my eyes. "I don't feel like me anymore." She says so quietly I barely hear her. "I feel like I'm walking around and being someone but, not me and I don't want to be someone else." Katniss' voice breaks and her eyes start to well with tears. "I want to talk to Prim!" She cries and I feel my own face contort in pain for her. "I want her to tell me that it's going to be okay and that I'll always be me! But she isn't here Peeta!" A huge lump fills my throat as she crumbles into my chest and I try to hold back tears by opening my mouth and scrunching my eyes closed. "I'm never going to see her again and I'll never hear her voice and I'll never feel her hugs and I-I m-miss her." She begins to wail and I wrap my arms around her tightly, burying my mouth into the top of her head.

"If I could do anything, anything in the world Katniss, I would bring her back for you." I tell her. "I would give my life to bring her back and let you hold her again but, I don't know how to. If I had to walk to the end of the Earth to get her, I would go right now and do it. And I know it isn't the same, and I know, I know this probably isn't what you need to hear. But, I'm here and I'm telling you that everything is going to be okay and I love you, Katniss Everdeen."

"That's exactly what I needed to hear, Peeta."

**Katniss P.O.V**

The first week back at school was rough to say the least. Not so much catching up in all the subjects but more the way everyone kept apologising to me as if it were their fault. Girls I didn't even know would cry to me and random guys offered to carry my books which was even worse because almost any male made me want to vomit, the exceptions being Peeta, Finnick, Gerry, Evan, Ben and Jacob. All of whom, refused to leave me on my own - which I was unbelievably grateful for - unless I was going to the bathroom and even then Peeta usually came in with me and pulled faces at me as I peed.

"Can we see your scar?" Three blondes asked Gerry as he leant against a locker next to mine and I switched the books I needed for lesson.

"No." Gerry said simply to the girls and they pouted at him. "I said no for god sake!" Gerry snapped and they teetered away in their stupidly high shoes.

"And I thought I was the bitchy one." I joked and Gerry sighed.

"I don't like how they think a scar makes me amazing! It's a freaking pink line!" He groaned as we headed towards our photography class.

"Yeah, which you got by taking a freaking bullet!" I remind him and he pulled an amusing face.

"Every girl I talk to has asked to see my scar, it was cool at first but now I'm fed up with it! I want one conversation where the scar doesn't matter! Where I'm just Gerry again!" He exclaims as we climb the stairs.

"I get it Gerry, all of a sudden I've become the girl who is incapable of carrying a biology textbook!" I join in the rant as we collect our photographic paper from our drawers.

"You let us carry your books." He reminds me as we go through the spinning door into the dark room.

"You let me see your scar." I point out and he grins.

"Touche. So, what do you think about the whole Delly-Jacob-Sam situation?" Gerry changes the subject to bitching and I gladly indulge.

After photography in the morning, I have English literature with the guys. We sit down and Finnick and I instantly start poking Peeta in the back then pretend we did nothing when he turned. We continued this throughout the lesson and by the end Peeta looked like he was going to pull out his hair, as we went into the hallway I kissed his jaw and he smiled at me.

"How was photography?" He asked and unlocks my locker for me so I can push my books in.

"The usual, Gerry got harassed by girls to see his sexy scar." I inform Peeta as he drapes his arm along my shoulder which provides me with security and him a less obvious crutch for when his leg hurts, I wrap my arm around his waist.

"It is a damn sexy scar." Peeta mutters then grins at me.

"How was cooking? Learn new skills to be a perfect husband?" I joke with him before we stop walking outside the changing rooms. He leans down and kisses my nose.

"Well you can tell me how I am in a few years." Peeta tells me then limps awkwardly into the boys changing rooms as Delly grabs my arm, apparently she heard everything.

"Did he just propose?!" She practicall squeals and I shake my head.

"No! He just- I said and- no!" I stammer and Delly holds her hands up in defeat as we start to change into our gym clothes and silently head outside.

"Next year," Delly says abruptly as we jog leisurely to the track. "Who do you see?"

"What?" I ask and she rolls her eyes.

"Who do you see beside you in one year?" She reiterates.

"Peeta." I confirm and she grins.

"Five years?" She asks and I let a small smile fill my face.

"Peeta."

"Ten years?" She asks excitedly and at that moment I see Peeta being given a piggyback around the track by Finnick and Gerry rocks ready for high jump.

"Peeta." I smirk and she claps her hands awkwardly as we start to run on the track.

"Who are you going to marry?" Delly asks and I look across at her and give her a cheesey grin before breaking into a fast sprint that I know she can't keep up with. "Wait! Katniss! Who's going to be your bridesmaid? Maid of honour!" I hear her voice distantly as I run away from her. I slow down as I pass Finnick and hear Peeta speak to me.

"So who the heck are you marrying?" He says and I turn to jog backwards and face the guys.

"Oh, you don't know him." I reply and Peeta's eyebrows raise as Finnick laughs loudly. "Well I got to go, need to keep in shape for the hubby." I smirk and turn round and start running again.

I'm not running for long before a guy at the edge of the track calls and waves me over. I slow my run to a jog and eventually stop moving. I don't know him.

"Everdeen!" He calls again and I stare at him. "For fuck sake! Come here!" I think about every step in my mind, right foot, left foot, as I move closer to the stranger. He's wearing red shorts with a white t-shirt, a red baseball cap backwards on dark hair, stubble peppering his jaw. "Everdeen right?" He barks at me and I nod. "Pardon?"

"Yes, sir." I whisper and he turns away.

"Follow me, now." He demands and I can't move my feet. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He says and then turns back to me.

"I can't go with you." I whisper and he strides towards me. I flinch instantly and he steps back, Gerry appears between us, facing me.

"Hey, hey, hey! You're fine!" He says quickly, a smile on his face and I swallow and breathe again.

"What the fuck?" The guy behind Gerry says and Finnick starts talking to him quickly as Gerry holds my face between his hands and nods reassuringly.

"We're here! Look at us, we're all here! I'm here and Finnick's here and Peeta's just over there." Gerry points and I turn to see Peeta being held back by Delly and Sam.

"I want Peeta." I whine and Gerry shakes his head.

"We're here! He's just there, Katniss! Finnick and I are here, right here!"

"Finn?" I call, my voice coming out in a desperate plea and Finnick takes Gerry place infront of me.

"Hey buddy! That was scary, right!" He talks quietly and I find myself nodding. "This is Bradley, look." Finnick steps back slightly and the guy appears, holding his baseball cap in his hands and smiles sheepishly.

"Hiya." He says and I try to back away but Finnick and Gerry stay firm.

"He wants you to help the younger students learn archery! That's cool huh?" Finnick says and I nod. "You can take me or Gerry." He says and I stare at Bradley.

"Peeta." I say quickly and Finnick bites his bottom lip.

"That's not an option Katniss." Gerry says firmly and I look across at him. "Me or Finn."

"F-Finnick." I stutter and Finnick wraps an arm around my waist and leads me away as I try to turn and see Peeta. I see him start lashing out and then gazes at me when Gerry says something to him, he gives me a thumbs up and I just stare back at him.

"You're teaching archery, Katniss. Nothing else. I'm going to be right here the entire time." Finnick assures me as we follow Bradley around the gym and see a small group of children laughing and shoving each other around.

"Alright guys, this is Katniss, she's gonna hep us to shoot some arrows!" Bradley's voice changed entirely and the children all squealed and wrapped themselves around my legs.

"She was a natural!" Finnick gushes as Peeta, Finnick, Gerry, Delly and I sit in a booth in a little pizzeria.

"At kids or archery?" Gerry inquires and then slurps at his strawberry milkshake.

"Both! She didn't miss once and the kids were practically in love with her weren't they Katniss?" Everyone looks at me now and I manage a small nod, squeezing my thighs together to try to stop Peeta's roaming hand.

"They were cute." I say and everyone grins. Peeta rubs me between my legs and my stomach muscles tense, I'm clutching at his thigh as he somehow finds my clit through my jeans and applies pressure. I turn and press my face into his slightly damp neck, the heat is getting to us all and Peeta turns his head against me as I moan gently.

"I love you." He says quietly and in the build up to my orgasm I reach out and grope between his legs. We both freeze because nothing has been happening down there for ages and by simply forgetting that I've dampened our mood. Casually I remove my face from Peeta's neck and he removes his hand from between my legs.

"Sorry." I mumble and he shrugs as he drinks his Cola.

"Hello, my name is Millie... Oh my god guys! Hi! Peeta!" We all stare up at Millie and feel myself start to bite down on the inside of my cheek.

"Er hey." Peeta says awkwardly and she blatantly checks him out. "Can I get the hawaiian pizza please?" He asks, his voice going weirdly high.

"You can have whatever you want." Millie murmurs seductively and I look down into my lap as Peeta squirms beside me. It was not a hidden fact that she had an abortion as soon as Peeta found out he was not the father of her baby and that the father was a total low life.

"The pizza's good." He clears his throat and she giggles and takes everyone elses orders, I don't order anything.

"I'll be back with your meals shortly." She moves away and the booth sits silently for a moment.

"Well, let's not come here ever again." Finnick says seriously and everyone besides Peeta and I agree.

The meal is tense and awkward. Everyone aware of Millie coming over way too many times and talking mainly to Peeta who blushes every time.

The drive home is even worse with only Peeta and I in the car.

"I'm going to sleep in my room tonight." I tell him and he nods.

"I'll shower and join yo-"

"Alone." I add and Peeta goes quiet. "I'm tired." He pulls into the garage and I drop from the jeep and walk quickly into the house. There's shouting from the kitchen and I hear Peeta's Mom's voice but I go straight upstairs to my room and lock the door.

I don't even understand why I am so angry about Millie. Besides the fact he cheated on me with her but, I thought I was over that for god sake!

"Stay the fuck away!" I hear Peeta scream suddenly and then he bangs down the hallway and into his room, slamming the door and locking it behind him.


	16. Chapter 16: Up, Up and Away

_**A/N: **__**yoyoyo! This is a pretty short chapter I think but, I'm uploading one right after and the one that comes after this is the last chapter! I planned on making it longer but basically, I couldn't think of anymore idea and the story was dragging on I thought so I thought I would end it in a totally cheesey way :D**_

The next morning I dress for school and head downstairs, finding Ben, Linda and Evan in the kitchen.

"Katniss, Honey!" Linda exclaims and I freeze. "It's so nice to see you again, do take a seat!" I lower myself cautiously into a seat and Ben passes me a waffle and a banana. Evan is sat silently, his head bowed as he pushes a blueberry around on his plate with a fork.

"So, how's school?" Linda asks me and I shrug. "Shrugging is rude." She snaps and I look up at her.

"Sorry, don't hit me." I say rudely and her face goes hard. Ben coughs and I go back to eating. Peeta comes in and silently starts eating.

"Sleep well, Peetie?" Linda asks and he doesn't answer. "Peeta?" She asks and he clenches his jaw.

"Peet." Ben says and Peeta looks at him then at his mother.

"I had a nightmare." He says bluntly and my heart aches, I should have been there. "I always do when you're around." He adds then stands and leaves.

By the time I get outside I can see Peeta halfway down the drive in the jeep so I sheepishly go back inside and Evan bumps into me.

"Need a lift?" He asks and I nod, Evan grabs his keys and we walk to his SUV. "Peet will calm down soon." Evan says quietly as I open the door to leave.

"He won't calm down until she's dead in a ditch." I say bitterly, thank him and head into school.

Peeta ignores me all day. Then the next. And the next. And the next. It's a couple of weeks later when he finally speaks to me.

Delly and I giggle as we come out of the changing room into the main area where the pool is. Peeta is talking to an instructor but Finnick is on the highest dive board, ready to jump in. I watch as he flips over three time and seamlessly enters the water with next to none splash.

"Is it weird?" Delly speaks up as we hook our towels over a bar. "Seeing Peeta like that?" She asks quietly and I glance over, he's topless and in shorts and I frown.

"What do you mean?" I ask and she blushes.

"You know, his leg..." She whispers and I look over at Peeta again. The metal leg shimmering from the water ripples. I turn back to Delly angrily.

"It hasn't changed him! You should know that!" I snap.

"That's not what I meant! And you can't say nothing is different!" She exclaims as we drop into the water easily. "You don't have sex!" She says loudly and everyone looks at us, including Peeta.

"Thanks for that, Delly." I say angrily and swim away from her to do laps.

On my second lap, Peeta is angrily removing his fake leg.

On my third lap, Finn is helping him into the water.

On my fourth, I stop beside him, shocked.

"You can't swim." I state as Finn holds him and Peeta floats and I remember summer camp where Peeta got knocked into the lake and stopped breathing, I resusitated him and he believes Finnick did it.

"Rub it in, then." Peeta responds and I look to Finnick who pulls a face.

"I love you Peet, but this is weird." Finn indicates to me and I slip my hands into the place Finn's where as he swims away.

"This is ridiculous." Peeta complains, avoiding my eyes. "It's embarrassing."

"Don't be a baby." I tell him and he rolls his eyes. "Turn over." I tell him and he awkwardly turns, I have one arm diagonally under his arm then over the oppostie shoulder and my other across his lower stomach. "Ok, kick gently." Peeta scoffs and I smack his stomach. "Do it." I insist and I help him to glide across the water. He kicks roughly and slips on my hands where he then begins to flail, I hold ontop him until he stops splashing about.

"Kat..." Peeta murmurs and I realise first that my hand is groping his penis, second that his penis is hard in my hand.

"Sorry." I say but I can't move my hand away so Peeta uses the side to help him stand up. "When did that... Happen?" I ask and he shakes his hair so water flies everywhere.

"The weekend Mom came round." He says quietly and I nod.

"Emotions, right?" I say as an explanation and he nods. "Why didn't you tell me?" I ask and he shrugs.

"We were rowing."

"Actually we weren't talking at all." Peeta nods and then Finnick wades over and punches Peeta in the arm.

"Swim!" He shouts and I move away.

I spend most of the lesson under the water thinking. I like being under the water because no one can speak to you.

I'm in the changing rooms now, buttoning up my school shirt when there's a lot of murmuring outside and Delly looks at me strangely as she brushes out her blonde hair.

Once my shirt is buttoned up I move to the door and poke my head out, Peeta's body is blocking the door straight away and I open the door wider and look over his shoulder and squeal.

"Darren!" I cry suddenly and Peeta steps to the side as I wrap my arms around Darren's neck.

"Well hey there stranger!" He laughs into my neck and stands to his full height so my feet are dangling off the floor. "Kat, you're supposed to stay in touch with the little guys!" He says quietly as he slowly lowers me.

"You're not exactly little!" I laugh as I stand back and look at him.

He's still stupidly tall at six foot three, his shoulders have broadened but he's still the ridiculously skinny guy he was back in the flat down the hall.

"You cut your hair!" I grin as he pushes his dark quiff to the side.

"Yeah well, everyone else did as well." He does his boyish smile and I take a deep breath. "You look well." Darren smiles and I nod. Slack yells suddenly and I break eye contact with Darren's green eyes.

"I need to get ready!" I say in a deep sigh and walk backwards awkwardly into Peeta. "Oh shit, Darren this is Peeta. His dad fostered me. And this is Darren..." I trail off as Darren blushes instantly in his shy way.

"Do you have somewhere to stay?" Peeta asks and Darren looks at me as I groan.I remember the first day we saw each other again I had told him I'd been casually sleeping with Darren and now here he is.

"Darren..." I say exasperated and Darren bows his head.

"It got worse, Katniss." He says quietly and I think of all the bruises that covered his body when we would sleep together.

"Would do you mean? It got worse?" Peeta asks and Darren bows his head even further.

"Peeta, don't." I say carefully and Peeta nods at me.

"Stay here and we'll get changed," Peeta said and indicated to the two of us even though Darren's head was still hanging low. "Then you can come back to mine and we'll sort something out."

"So," Peeta said quietly as we stood outside, pretending to only be throwing a tennis ball for Max. "He isn't even eighteen is he?"

"No." I admit and crouch to pull the ball from Max's mouth. "His dad is a total drunk and beats Darren whenever he can." I say quietly and I see Peeta's jaw clench.

"He ran away." Peeta says matter of factly and I throw the ball.

"Yeh, he won't be here for more than a couple of days either." I explain and Peeta looks at me. "He's run now Peeta, if his dad catches him I don't think Darren would survive the beating."

"He won't last on his own out there." Peeta mutters and I smile.

"That's where everyone gets Darren wrong, he blends in. Even at his height, no one looks twice at him because he changes to suit his environment." Peeta looks strange for a second and I look out at the sunset.

"I'm sorry I've been a total dick to you." He says quietly and I look across at his strong jaw line. "I was scared once you knew I could get hard that's the only reason you'd come back to me." Peeta admits and I sigh.

"I love you." My voice is extremely quiet but, Peeta wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"I love you, Katniss." He whispers before kissing my forehead and I sigh deeply.

I was correct in thinking Darren wouldn't stay for long, when I was pouring myself a glass of juice I saw the note on the counter top.

**Katniss,**

**We both know I gotta keep moving now but, thank you for taking me in and thank every one of those Mellark's too. Especially Peeta, thank him for the money.**

**Perhaps we'll see each other again and maybe we won't however, you remember that you're the reason I'm strong enough to leave that hell hole.**

**I'm going to miss you, stranger!**

**Darren.**

As I finish reading I feel Peeta just behind me, reading over my shoulder.

"You gave him money?" I ask as he takes my glass of juice and sips it before passing it back to me.

"Of course I did. He didn't have a penny to his name." Peeta responds and I smile because...well Peeta just makes me smile. "Do you know your ears move when you smile?" He whispers and I laugh.

"How much did you give him?" I ask as Peeta's hands gently wrap themselves around my waist.

"I don't remember exactly." He murmurs and then kisses my neck.

"Liar." I say but my voice sounds like a sigh as Peeta presses his body against my back.

"You know how incredible you make me feel?" He whispers and I brace my hands on the counter as my head rolls to the side. "Like I can do anything." When Peeta's tongue trails from my collar bone to my ear lobe I moan. "I feel like nothing matters so long as I have you." I turn around now and Peeta descends his lips to mine instantly, our tongues fighting against each other as he lifts me to sit on the counter and he stands between my legs. I hook my legs around him, pulling him closer to me and I moan into his mouth when his arousal presses to my centre.

"Oh god, Peeta!" I murmur and Peeta's hands start to knead my breasts urgently as my own hands pop the button on his jeans and undo his zip.

"Jesus christ! Not in the kitchen!" Peeta and I jump as Rye complains and I bury my face into Peeta's shoulder in embarrassment.

"You're such a cock blocker, Rye." Peeta grumbles and Rye does his weird laugh and opens a cupboard.

"Yes well, you're supposed to be at the bakery now so go!" Rye reminds Peeta and he does his button back up and lowers me to the ground.

"Come with me?" He asks and I nod. I offer to drive but, the whole time Peeta is kissing my neck ormy hand. "Hm, Delly's here." Peeta muses when I pull up beside her Mini Cooper, we share a glance before getting out.

As soon as I'mnext to Peeta he wraps an arm around my shoulder and I wrap my own around his waist.

"God, I have missed this." He smiles down at me as we walk up the wooden steps synchronised.

The laughter rings out of the bakery as we open the back door. We step in and find Delly hunched over on the counter as Jacob grins at her with a danish slowly slipping down the front of his t-shirt. He looks across at us and we smile as Delly begins snorting with laughter.

"Alright Dells?" Peeta asks with a crooked grin, Delly looks at him, wails and then buries her face back into her elbow, crying out.

"What happened, Jacob?" I ask as Peeta slips his hand into the back pocket of my jeans.

"She threw a danish pastry at me..." Jacob grins and Delly is now laughing silently with the occassional wheeze. "And now it is on the floor." Jacob says and we look down at where the danish has splattered to the floor. The door in the main cafe jingles and Jacob looks through the arch way and turns back with an irritated face. "Mother session." He mutters and then reaches across himself to lift his top up, my eyes drop down to his chest and Peeta steps in front of me, frowning.

"Stop it." He complains and I smile and push my hands onto his shoulders underneath his jacket.

"Well how about we just pop into your office because you needed to change into your shirt anyway." I say quietly and he smirks at me.

"Jake I'll be back in a minute!" Peeta calls over his shoulder as he takes my hand and we head up the wooden stairs, they're narrow and steep at the same time and we stop on a small landing at the top that has two doors. One door says 'staff only' and the other says 'no staff' and it makes me smile.

"Typical Jacob." I smile and he pulls a set of keys out of his pocket that I haven't seen before, I realise I've only really seen the car keys so I look round his arm as he chooses one of the keys and opens the door.

"Welcome to my inner sanctum!" Peeta says smiling as I step into the room. It's a lot smaller than I imagined. "This used to be the flat area but, I switched so Jacob's quarters were bigger..." Peeta says nervously and I look around more.

The room is dark in a way that makes the room calm. Book cases and filing cabenets line the walls and it's only a few feet from the door to the desk, the desk is dark and has a low back black leather chair tucked in, facing me. I skip round and sit in the chair and I'm shocked at how upright the chair makes me sit even though it stops just below my shoulder blades.

"It helps my leg to sit upright..." Peeta mumbles and I look up at him, he's blushing and I frown at him. Then my eyes drop to a silver framed photograph on the desk of Peeta and I. It's the photograph from summer when it was the formal dance, I had gone with Finnick and Peeta had gone with Delly but, everyone had insisted that we took the picture together. I still remember how much my heart had ached to be so close to him and not actually be with him.

"Oh." I choke out and he looks at me from where the door is still open as if he's ready to run.

"I can get rid of it, you know, if you don't like it, on the desk, ummm, I feel like it helps me, you know, think." Peeta blows air out of his cheeks and chuckles at how nervous he is. I stand up and wrap my arms right around him, his wrapping around me.

"I just didn't expect it, Peeta." I mutter and he straightens himself so my feet dangle in the air. He tightens his arms around me and I bite my lip.

"Prim emailed it to me. It makes me ache, I should have just held onto you!" Peeta sounds pained and I lift my legs to wrap around his waist as I incline my mouth to his ear.

"I would have run, we both now it." Peeta turns into my mouth and our lips melt into eachother. "I love you." I whisper and he moans against me.

"I wish I could hear that every day of my life." He groans and I thread my fingers into his hair.

"You can." I breathe and he presses his mouth against mine, I reach behind him and push the door closed before he walks us to his desk and sits me on it.

The seconds tick by as I slip my hands into his jacket and push it to the floor. His hands pull on my thighs as he tries to pull me even closer to his body. Right now, it's not about nakedness or sexiness so I don't hesitate to unbutton and unzip his jeans. When I slip my hand into his boxers, Peeta takes a sharp intake of breath and then he presses his forehead against mine.

"Katniss..." He groans as a warning and I wrap my hand around his hardening erection.

"Peeta, I want you. Please." I moan and he stares into my eyes.

"I don't want to hurt you Katniss." He whispers and I smile at him and hop off the desk.

"You won't." I assure him and push out of my jeans as his eyes tighten in a battle inside him. "Peeta, I trust you." I tell him and he slams his lips against mine, our tongues invade each other's mouth as I push Peeta jeans and boxers down.

"Oh crap." He whispers when he pushes my panties to the side and slips a finger inside me. My head rolls to the side and Peeta kisses my exposed neck. I reach between us and run my hand along his erection as he shifts his hips so his tip is positioned at my entrance.

"Guys, have you..." Delly opens the door and Peeta growls at her.

"Not now Delly!" He growls and she squeaks and slams the door and then clatters down the stairs. I stifle a laugh and Peeta shakes his head. "Typical!" His voice because a loud groan when I grab his hips and tug him inside of me. I gasp and Peeta freezes. "Look at me, baby." I peel my eyes open and Peeta's face is etched with concern. "I love you, alright? I love you." He promises and I push away the thoughts of Gale as Peeta rocks his hips slightly.

"I can't." I whisper almost inaudible and Peeta pulls himself out quickly but gently.

"That's fine, I understand!" He says quickly and I bite my lip as he pulls his boxers and jeans up but doesn't fasten them. "Do you wanna go down and get a coffee or something?" He asks and I nod and pull my jeans back on and head to the door.

"Aren't you coming?" I ask quietly and turn back to where he's perched on his desk.

"I'll errr catch you up." He smiles awkwardly. "I gotta sort myself out, Katniss." He adds and I blush and look down at his very obvious erection.

When I get down to the kitchen Delly is sat at one of the counters with a mug of coffee, she smiles when she sees me but I slump against her shoulder as I sit down beside her.

"What happened?" She asks and I groan.

"All I could think about was Gale." I complain and she wraps an arm around me.

"Peeta isn't going to hurt you Katniss. The guy loves you more than he loves life." Delly's voice was so gentle that I felt my bottom lip start to tremble.

"Everything okay, Katniss?" Jacob asked and I looked up to where he was stood smiling at me in a clean top.

"It's girlie things, Jake." Delly whispers and Jacob rolls his eyes at her as he makes a coffee.

"If girlie things involves being scared of having intercourse with Peeta because you think of Gale, then honestly Delly!" Jacob turns to her exasperated. "It really isn't girlie is it?" He asks and Delly glares at him.

"You're so blunt and rude." She snaps at him and he dusts some chocolate onto the coffee. "You know, it's only polite to bring such things up if Katniss does first!" Delly calls to him as he walks back into the cafe.

Peeta comes banging down the stairs in his white 'Mellark Son Three' t-shirt. I'm embarrassed when I see him but, he walks straight over to me and kisses me temple.

"What's that for?" I ask quietly as he pulls back. Peeta picks up a pen and clicks it on a notepad as he smiles at me.

"Do I need to have a reason?" He asks and then disappears into the cafe as well.

"So how are you going to get over it?" Delly asks bluntly and I press my forehead to the counter top.

"I have no idea." I groan back at her.

_**A/N:**____**SO, the last chapter is the next one! Follow me as an author because I've got loads of new ideas!**_


	17. The End

_**A/N:**__** So this is it!**_

It's a few weeks after that when my phone rings as I'm in the garden with Max.

"Hel-"

"You're about to be home alone with Peeta and you didn't tell me!" Delly shrieks and I roll my eyes.

"Can you tell Jacob I say he's an arsehole?" I say bitterly and Delly relays the message to Jacob.

"He says that he doesn't keep secrets." Delly recites and I press the phone between my shoulder and my ear as I pull off my boots and head back inside.

"Well some secrets should be kept. Besides we're just going to sit and watch a movie." I tell her and pad through to the other side of the kitchen.

"Oh yeah, why don't you watch fifty shades of grey?" Delly says in a seductive tone and I hear Jacob scoff and mutter that it isn't even released yet.

"I was thinking more like Olympus Has Fallen." I nod as I brew a coffee.

"The new Gerard Butler one?" She asks and I press the phone to my other ear.

"Uh huh." I mutter and Delly moans.

"Peeta hates him." She informs me and I frown.

"He never told me that..." I say quietly and I hear Max bark happily and trot off so I assume Peeta's home.

"Because you love him. Peeta thinks he's a stuck up dick." She says and then Jacob tells her to mind her own business.

"Baby?" Peeta calls and I turn and watch him walk into the kitchen looking exhausted.

"Oh! Have you done the Maths?" She asks and then starts to babble on about how she was stuck on a question. I watched as Peeta pulled off his jumper and tossed it into the laundry room, he smiled at me but it looked like it was forced. "Katniss?"

"I'll ring you tomorrow Del." I say and hang up. "What's up?" I ask and he shrugs. "Peeta." I say sternly and he rolls his head on his shoulder.

"Just a bad day, I guess." He mutters and I hold my arms out to him. "I'm fine." He adds and I squint at him.

"We said no lies, Peet." He takes my hands into his and shrugs.

"My mom phoned me." He says quietly and I feel my anger boil up. "You know your eyes turn almost black when you get angry, it's kind of cute." He smirks and I sigh.

"Don't change the subject."

"I'm not."

"We're going to avoid this are we?"

"We aren't avoiding anything, Katniss. I said I'm fine." Peeta pulls his hands out of mine and starts to walk out of the kitchen.

"God! Fine!" I shout after him and he shakes his head but continues to head upstairs. "Gah!" I call out angrily and shove an orange off the counter, Max pounces on it and I quickly grab it before he gets ahold of it properly.

"Have you seen my blue shirt?" Peeta appears back in the kitchen without a top and no pants, only in his boxers.

"Which one?" I ask, turning away to pour the coffee. "If you say 'ehhh the blue one' I swear to god I will slap you." I add and I hear him chuckle.

"No, the check button down with the different shades of blue. The one you say that the buttons match my eyes perfectly." He says smoothly and I roll my eyes.

"Have you tried your wardrobe?" I ask and Peeta sighs before walking away again. Once my coffee is ready I carry it into the lounge and plonk down on the sofa, flicking through the telly. Peeta trots past the door into the kitchen and starts clattering around. "Feed Max please!" I call out and he mumbles a yes through a mouth full of food.

"You know," I look up to the open door and see Peeta in the blue shirt and dark jeans, his hair quiffed slightly and a large tray in his hands. "I really should have considered my clothes more."

"What are you on about now?" I sigh and he sits beside me, I peer into the various bowls on the tray and my mouth waters at all the sweets and chocolate and popcorn.

"We're watching a movie, like a date. I'm saying that I dressed up and your just in my lounging clothes." He tells me and tosses a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

"I'll go change." I mutter and stand but, Peeta grabs my hand and pulls me back down against him quickly.

"I don't think you quite understood." Peeta says quietly in a low voice as he tucks some hair behind my ear. "You know how much I love you in my clothes and here I am in an old shirt!" He chuckles and lifts the tray off his lap onto the sofa beside him.

"Yup." I let my hand settle on the top button of his shirt.

"Anything you love me wearing in particular?" Peeta's voice has become deep and seductive and I feel my body reacting to it.

"I quite love you not wearing anything to be honest." I whisper and undo the top button of his shirt as he smirks at me.

"So you'll forgive me if I remove my shirt?" Peeta asks and I nod.

"I'd forgive you anyway but, this will definitely speed up the process." I inform Peeta and he proceeds to unbutton his shirt then tosses it aside then leans towards me and captures my lips with his.

When Peeta adjusts his weight to move ontop of me I smirk and push my weight against his so he sits up and I straddle his lap, kissing his chiselled jaw line.

"Baby, you say no when you need to." Peeta whispers as my hands trail down his chest and settle on the belt buckle.

"Can we go upstairs?" I ask and in one swift movement we're stood up, my legs wrapped around Peeta's waist as he presses my back against the closest wall.

Peeta's hips press between my legs so I'm firmly against him and the wall, and his finger tips slips inside the old top I'm wearing before he carefully pulls it over my head. I see the muscles in his jaw work furiously when he sees I'm not wearing a bra.

"God, you're beautiful." He whispers before bowing his head to kiss between my breasts, my hands weaving into his hair.

He moves again but by the time we get to the stairs our kisses are so desperate he lowers me down to lay on the stairs as he lowers himself above me. Peeta starts with kisses behind my ear but they quickly work their way down between my breasts to my stomach at which point his hands are gently tugging the sweatpants off my legs.

"Oh jesus!" I cry suddenly and Peeta laughs loudly. "Fuck off!" I cry and he stands up. "No!nonono! I was kidding!" I say desperately and Peeta slams his lips to mine roughly before trailing his tongue down my body, his hand slowly pushing my legs open.

When Peeta's tongue slips between my folds I cry out loudly and clutch at his hair. He focuses on my clit now as I writhe beneath him. My orgasm comes unepectedly and hard, my vision blacking out as I cry out Peeta's name.

"Ohmygod." I sigh when I blink my eyes open to see Peeta grinning widely above me, his eyes literally sparkling.

"I love you." He whispers before lifting me into his arms again and trudging up the stairs.

"Take your jeans off." I murmur when we're at the top of the stairs. Peeta kisses me roughly as he positions my butt on the banister and unbuckles his belt, his bulge looking like it will actually burst out. As soon as he pops the button and tugs the zip of his jeans down his erection springs out, still confined in his boxers.

"Oh shit!" Peeta groans when I run my finger over his bulge. He holds my hips as I push his jeans down and he steps out of them then wraps my legs around him again as he walks me down the hallway. "Whose room?" He asks and I suck on his neck.

"Yours." I whisper and he literally whimpers.

Peeta doesn't even bother to close the door over we're in such a hurry, we work together amazingly. As he lowers us down onto our bed I push his boxers down, as he pushes his boxers off his feet I slip beneath the sheets and then he moves ontop of me and as he slides in, my whole body arches in pleasure and I cling to him as he clings to me.

I'd thought we used to make love all the time, but compared to this it was nothing! I feel like he's everywhere and yet I still want more of him as we cry out and moan loudly. We come together at the same time and it leaves us both a pile of bones as we try to recover from our insane breathing rates.

When I feel Peeta's weight lift off me I open my eyes to see him gazing at me, his eyes filled with joy and love. I carefully brush the hair off his forehead.

"You know how much I love you right?" He asks and I feel my heart start to race again. Thoughts flash through my mind as I try to regain control of my emotions. He must see my fear because he quickly moves off me. "I'm sorry! I thought you were okay!" He says desperately as I grab the sheets around my body and stand up shakily, Peeta pulls on his boxers and sits on the edge of his bed. "I really thought it was alri-"

"Will you marry me?" The words fly out of my mouth and Peeta jerks his head to look at me as I slap a hand across my mouth in shock.

Everything is silent and I just stare at Peeta staring at me.

"I don't know why I- oh my god!" I cry and spin a circle in sheer confusement. "What?" I ask when Peeta grins at me.

"I said yes."

_**A/N:**____***hides behind a sofa as everyone rolls their eyes at the cheesey arse ending*  
no, but seriously thank you to everyone who followed, favourited and reviewed. I have a lot of new stuff coming through so keep an eye on me :D**_


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